To Lament is to make space to outwardly express grief.  Lament allows the broken us to see our own brokenness and to be touched by the pain of others. Through lament, we grieve our own wounds and the wounds of others, especially the ones we have caused or benefitted from. But whether we have caused the wounds or not…we lament because we care.  We refuse to turn away and let fear and pride harden our hearts, blind our eyes, and deafen our ears.

Though allowing brokenness to touch our hearts may provoke discomfort, guilt, anguish, and distress, we understand that hearing about something isn’t the same as living it so we endure, and mature, patiently. We resist using our strength to silence someone expressing their pain, we offer comfort instead. We take responsibility, if not for the wound, then for helping with the healing.

Lament also leads us toward a turning. Repentance. Transformation. Healing. Turning hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Warm and alive, restored by Love.  Lament helps to mend us and weave us together and moves us toward hope. To lament is to love. 

…mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15)