The Power of Lament: Finding God in Our Grief

In a recent session of Discussion with Deacon Deb (DDD), we reflected on the power of lament — how sighing, moaning, and expressing our grief can be not only acceptable but beneficial. Far from being a sign of despair, lament is an act of faith — a raw and honest way of bringing our pain before God. In that session, we shared our sorrows — lamenting each other’s circumstances and the overwhelming sense of chaos, fear, and injustice in the world today.

Lament allows us to name what feels heavy — personal struggles, broken relationships, or the uncertainty of the future — and in doing so, we acknowledge that God is present in the midst of it all. Like the psalmists who cried out, “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1), we are invited to voice our frustration and sadness not as a sign of hopelessness, but as an act of trust. We lament because we believe God listens — and cares.

In our discussion, we recognized that lament is more than just venting; it’s a path toward healing. By giving voice to our pain, we create space for God’s comfort to enter in. Lament can lead us from sorrow to resilience, from despair to hope. Even when answers seem distant, we can trust that God’s love surrounds us — hearing our cries, feeling our sorrows, and walking with us through the shadows.

As we continue to navigate uncertain times, may we embrace the gift of lament — trusting that in our honest cries, we encounter the presence of a God who remains faithful, even when all feels broken.

-Deacon Deb Clifford