Tag Archives: Pain

A SEASON AND A TIME TO LAMENT

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Although Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 does not specify lament, the first verse does say “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” We are presently in a season and a time to lament.

Prior to this past March I was not too aware of the idea and practice of lament. During the month, however, I read two books that brought me up to speed on it. The first book was entitled Hurting with God: Learning to Lament with the Psalms by Glenn Pemberton. The second book, Open and Afraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life by W.
David O. Taylor, had a chapter simply entitled Sadness that addresses the subject.

Lament can be either a noun or a verb. As a noun lament is “a passionate expression of grief or sorrow” or “expression of loss.” As a verb it means to “mourn, bewail, bemoan, grieve, or express sorrow.” Lament, both as a noun and a verb, is in the Bible – primarily in the book of Psalms and the book of Lamentations, but elsewhere as well.

The Covid-19 pandemic alone has brought lament to us; and the tragic death of George Floyd and its aftermath has added to our lament. We have experienced and still are experiencing a variety of losses in our lives from all of this – obviously, some more than others.

To lament is not to be unspiritual or lacking in faith. Taylor goes so far to observe the psalmist’s complaint “is a sign of an active, not a passive, faith” (p. 73). Suffering and troubles are consistent subjects in the book of Psalms.

One writer suggests that in Genesis 6:6 God laments. In John 11:33-35 Jesus lamented the death of Lazarus and the grief of his sisters. Romans 8:26 tells us “the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” We need to give ourselves the freedom and space to grieve.

Lament is more than simply to complain or vent. As a matter of fact, lament can include praise and thanksgiving as we honestly respond to the Lord in our times of loss, pain, confusion, and disappointment. As we lament we can at the same time express our faith and ask God to act. Pemberton notes that those who lament in the Psalms “believe with all their hearts that their prayers make a difference in what God does” (p. 71).

This particular season and time of lament is not our first, nor will it be our last. As Taylor reminds us, “We live in a broken world” (p. 67), and as Jesus tells us, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). It is comforting to know that God is fully aware of what is going on and happening around us and to us, and that he hurts with us.

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IT HURTS!

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If you’re reading this post I’m confident you have experienced and endured pain many times. I’m in one of those times myself this week and thought it might be therapeutic for me to write about it.

Pain has many faces with multiple levels resulting from a variety of causes. Our first thought when we think about pain is physical pain, but as common as it is, physical pain is not the only kind of pain or always the most hurtful.

In addition to physical pain, there is also emotional pain. And while there are other kinds of emotional pain, today I’m thinking about the emotional pain that accompanies grief. The basic definition of grief is “deep sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death.” I’m confident all of us have grieved the death of someone we loved and cared about.

The pain I am dealing with this week is not due to the passing of someone, but the death of our dog, Macy. In the same way that readers have grieved the loss of someone they love, most readers have also grieved the loss of a beloved pet.

A couple of quotes from an article I read Monday evening after Jan took her to the vet to be put to sleep helped me accept the deep pain I felt and the tears I shed. This observation was certainly true of Macy: “For many of us, a pet is not ‘just a dog’ or ‘just a cat,’ but rather a beloved member of our family, bringing companionship, fun, and joy to our lives.” And then the author described my response to our loss, “Most of us share an intense love and bond with our animal companions, so it’s natural to feel devastated by feelings of grief and sadness when a cherished pet dies.”

I didn’t need the advice of another writer, but appreciated the thought, “you should never feel guilty or ashamed about grieving for an animal friend.” A third writer’s insight is not especially encouraging, but may prove to be helpful: “The grieving process happens only gradually. It can’t be forced or hurried—and there is no “normal” timetable for grieving.”

This post may seem odd as the description of my blog is “Considering the Christian Life, the Bible, and the Church.” The death of a loved pet is not necessarily about the Bible or the Church; but it is part of the Christian life. I needed to write this and I hope you got something from it. Macy was a cherished part of our family the last 11 years and it hurts that she is gone.

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