I tend to lament

I am very real with the Lord.  I know He can take it.  I know that He knows what I'm thinking and feeling and going through anyway.  

But here's the mistake I sometimes make.

I pour out my heart to Him in utter complaining and stop there!  

David complained before the Lord throughout the Psalms, too.  He listed his gripes - he really railed (not against God) about some circumstances in his life: he had Saul after him and had all sorts of enemies.  David asked the Lord to deal with his enemies and make it right and I'm sure as he was writing and singing that he wasn't exactly having good feelings!

So when I pour my heart out to the Lord about certain things that have been happening in my life that are still going on (and on and on!) - in my mind, far too long - I need to take the next step.  

But here's the mistake I make:

I don't always end my lament with praise and worship.  When you read the Psalms, even though David let it all hang out before the Lord, and made his complaints known, he always ended with something like, "Yet, will I praise Him."   Yet God is still God!  The Lord is still Lord!  That no matter what is still happening in my life, no matter how horrible or horrendous cirucumstances may be, that I have to believe God wants to use it all for my good.  But frankly, it really just feels like it brings out the worst in me!  And that's when I get frustrated with myself - because I want to grow in Christlikeness and I give these problem people and circumstances in my life the power to prevent that, I'm miserable and spiral down.

But I have to remember that no weapon formed against me will prosper and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He strenghtnes me, He strengthens me for the battles.  He strenghtne me for this marathon.

I guess what I'm getting at is yes, pour your heart out to the Lord.  As I said, He knows anyway what you're going through.  But before it gets too bitter (!), journal it, talk it out, walk it out, but at the end of the rant, the lament, let's not forget to praise and worship the Lord.  Praise and worship the Lord.

Now how can we do this when we're going through so many trials? Because He has not changed!  He has not shifted!  He does not change like shifting shadows.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

During your trials:

God is still good.
God is still righteous.
God is still holy.

And He still has a wonderful plan for our lives!  And I have moments when it is hard for me to believe this, but I know that it is a promise from God, so I am going to say it anyway!

So we praise and worship Him not because we love our trials - that would make us masochists!  No, we praise and worship Him because He is worthy and still on the Throne!  He is worthy of all of our praise and worship always, at all times, without fail!

So we don't "pop the pimple" and let the puss stay all over our face!  (sorry for the gross analogy)  Wipe it off and clean it up!  That's what I feel like when I pour my heart out to God - in my lament, I am getting out all the gunk, popping the pimple, so to speak.  But I walk away at that point and don't "wipe it off," then I'm leaving a mess in my soul!  It's still not cleansed.  

So the "cleansing" in this case is when I choose to praise and worship the Lord after my lament, as David did.  This is very cleansing to our souls.  

We don't stay in that ugly place of complaining because it's just not a pretty sight!  I don't think it's a sin to complain, because God values our intimacy - remember that is why Christ died  = to restore that intimate relationship, so we could come close to God through Him and have a tightknit relationship with Him.

When we have that kind of relationship with a human, if it is a good relationship, then we are always allowed to be ourselves, at all times.  We are allowed to state our case, make our point, grumble, complain - or else there's no freedom.

So it's not using our freedom to sin (Galatians 5:13), but as a means of "popping the pimple," of getting out the gunk and then wiping it up with the "astringent" of praise!

And you know what?  It works!

Now the situation hasn't changed.  The people that bother you, around you, haven't changed - but you have.

The purpose of your troubles isn't to cause you pain and suffering for the sake of pain and suffering but for your purification, for your sanctification.  And it hurts!  You know all the analogies - the burning of the dross, the chipping away at the vessel, the pruning of the branches, the firing in the kiln, etc, etc. 

But if we press through to the other side of the pain, then we will know freedom.  And we will become like Christ, and we will be sanctified - made like Him.

I wish I could tell you that I see the end of my trials this side of heaven, but it doesn't end this side of heaven!  It is a process that goes on until we are with Him, when we see Him face to face, and we are like Him!

So let God hear your lament but always end it with praise and worship. By the way, this is an act of obedience and a sign that you still trust HIm.

You still trust Him in your mess.
You still trust Him in your pain.
You still trust Him in your suffering.
You still trust Him when you don't see a good outcome.  Ever.
You still trust Him no matter what

So we should get in the habit of ending our laments with praise and worship of the Lord - each and every time!

Oh Lord.  Thank You that you listen to us always.  You let us go on and on and yet still love and understand us.  But since You are always worthy of praise, we choose to praise You after we pour out our laments to You, dear Lord.  Thank You that we can be totally free in Your Presence.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.