StoneBridge Community Church
Director of Youth, Young Adults, and Families - Ryan Joslin
This Weekend in Worship
We have all experienced loss. The loss of relationships, the loss of dreams, the loss of something good. And it's painful. Loss brings us to a place of sorrow that eats us up inside and sometimes feels like it will never leave. We are not alone in this feeling. Many now and many before us have found themselves in this space. Not a fix-all to every problem but a movement towards hope, lament is a holy and powerful cry that offers a step out of the depths. In worship this week, we will explore the spiritual discipline of lament in hopes of finding a healthy pathway forward.
Psalms 42:1-11 NRSV
SERMON OUTLINE:
Lament in the Patient’s Room and the World
Scripture: Psalm 42
What is Lament?
Lament is Honest Expression of Pain
Lament is Clarifying our Situation
Lament is Vulnerability and Connection
What is the Spiritual purpose of Lament?
Lament is a step forward
NEXT STEPS:
1.Check in with yourself this week, what are some pains and sorrows you are feeling or holding onto?
2. Read over Psalm 42 again. How does this psalm/song resonate within you? Does it help you access your own pain in need of lament?
3. Seek connection within your community. Who in your life can you lament to? Who is available for you to be vulnerable and connect with?Conversely, who can you reach out to that might need someone to talk to?
4. In prayer, ask God this week to give us courage to lament and awareness of the lament of others in our community and world.
GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. How does the Christian value of lament challenge the popular notion of always maintaining a positive outlook and/or suppressing negative emotions? In what ways does lament offer a more authentic and honest approach our Christian spirituality?
2. How does the practice of lament contribute to a deeper understanding of God's presence in the midst of suffering? How can the act of lamenting help Christians reconcile the existence of pain and injustice with the belief in a loving and compassionate God?
3. Can you think of some biblical examples of lament? How do they demonstrate the value and importance of expressing grief, sorrow, and anger in the context of faith? How can these examples inform our personal experiences of lament today?
4. How does the Christian value of lament intersect with the concept of empathy and compassion for others? In what ways can the act of lamenting create space for understanding and solidarity with those who are suffering, both within and outside of our faith community?
5. How can the practice of lamenting lead to personal and communal transformation? How does the act of voicing our pain and anguish before God and one another foster healing, resilience, and a renewed sense of hope in the midst of adversity?
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