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The Christian Working Woman
Hosted by Mary Lowman · EN
The Christian Working Woman with Mary Lowman exists to encourage, equip and empower workplace Christians in the marketplace.
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Mary and Martha’s Lament
2d ago00:14:28Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller Let’s look at Mary and Martha. You might be most familiar with these two sisters for their opposite personalities—Martha, being type A and consumed by what needs to get done, and Mary being the one who applauded for resting and sitting at Jesus’ feet. All throughout the gospel accounts, these sisters and their brother, Lazarus, offered hospitality to Jesus and became some of his dearest friends. But in John 11, word comes to Jesus that Lazarus is sick, actually very sick. The sisters contacted Jesus out of faith. They knew Jesus was able to heal the sick—they had seen his miracles, and they put their faith in him and called on him to come heal their brother. Jesus’ response is quite confusing though. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days (John 11:5-6). If someone you love is extremely sick, and you have the ability to help, wouldn’t you get up and rush to their side? Isn’t that what love does? The Bible reassures us of Jesus’ love for each of them, and yet, he deliberately chose to stay. And he waited. And Lazarus died. When Jesus finally came to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. As we think through lament, I want you to put yourself in Mary and Martha’s shoes for a minute. They were trusting Jesus to heal their brother. They implored him to come. They waited and waited. Perhaps they took a break from tending Lazarus’ sick bed to go outside and see if Jesus was coming around the corner. But he wasn’t. And these two sisters watched their beloved brother die, wrapped his body, and placed him in a tomb. Imagine what Mary and Martha were feeling. Perhaps you know the intense pain of losing a loved one. This year I suddenly lost a family member that seemed perfectly healthy. The shock was jarring and painful. The death of a loved one is absolutely a reason to lament. And yet, as terrible as losing Lazarus was, I think there was an even greater lament for Mary and Martha. They both spoke to Jesus when he arrived separately and the first thing they said was, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Do you hear the pain of confusion? Do you hear the notes of disappointment and feelings of betrayal? I think the deeper lament is that these women put their faith and hope in Jesus and were left disappointed. That is not something good Christians like to talk about, but I have experienced those moments. Have you? Have you prayed earnestly in faith and received an entirely different outcome than you expected? Have you committed yourself to teaching your children faithfully only to watch them fall away? Have you tried to live obediently to the Lord and yet you look at your life, and it is not what you imagined it would be like at all? Do you feel like Jesus has let you down? If you feel that way, know you are not alone. Life can be confusing and disorienting. And when it doesn’t make sense and you are hurting, come to Jesus. That is what Mary and Martha did, and it was the first step in their healing. They both shared their feeling of bewilderment and even possibly betrayal that Jesus waited to come, chose not to heal Lazarus, and let him die. Satan wants you to hold that hurt and confusion and let it fester into resentment, bitterness, and unbelief. But when you come to Jesus and honestly pour out your heart, however messy or honest it is, that is when Jesus meets us in the lament. And he met Martha and Mary in two very different ways that show his character. First with Martha, Jesus comforts her with the truth of his character. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25). This was one of Jesus’ I am statements, and he chose to reveal himself as the resurrection and the life first to Martha in this moment of deep grief. But he doesn’t stop there. Jesus follows this truth with a question. He asks her, Do you believe this? (John 11:26). Friend, in your pain, immersing yourself in the attributes of the Savior is extremely helpful. Jesus is loving. He is your shepherd. He sees and hears your misery. He is powerful to save and works all things for the good of those who love him. But it is not enough just to read these statements. In your pain, Jesus comes to you and asks, “Do you believe this?” Martha could not have possibly understood all that encompassed the truth of Jesus being the resurrection and life. And Jesus didn’t expect her to. But with what faith she had in that moment, she responded, Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world (John 11:27). When everything in life is chaos and you can’t make sense of your pain, hold on to what you do know about Jesus. Asking why is rarely helpful, but choosing to sit in who you know and have already experienced Jesus to be will comfort your soul. Interestingly, Jesus responds very differently to Mary. She comes to him with the exact same words as Martha, Lord…if you had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:21). Instead of revealing truth to her, Jesus weeps with her. Friend, you have a savior who is moved by suffering and weeps. I don’t know about you, but that is so comforting to me! Jesus might have been moved by seeing Mary in such pain or by his own grief or by his hatred of death as an enemy or all of it. Either way, he wept. And Jesus wept even though he knew the end of the story. He waited to let Lazarus die to reveal himself not only as healer but as the one who can resurrect. He knew Lazarus’ time in the grave was almost over, but he still wept. Jesus sees your whole story and knows it will turn out for your deliverance, and yet amid your suffering, he comes along side you tenderly. He doesn’t rebuke you for a lack of stoic faith or say, buck up. No, he is the almighty savior who understands our weakness and meets us with compassion. That means the world to me. Mary and Martha did receive their brother back, but in the moments of lament, they didn’t know the ending. In their lament they were called to believe the truth about Jesus and experience his tender care. And you and I are called to do the same. No matter what the root of our lament is, the Lord invites us to pour out our souls to him, to believe he sees and hears, and to receive his tender care. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all who trust in him are promised a gloriously happy ending. But in the meantime, life is hard. May we be women who cling to truth and to the loving care of Jesus himself. Let’s pray now to that end. Heavenly Father, you know the burdens and hardships each person reading right now is facing, and none of it is too heavy for you to bear. I pray you would comfort each hurting heart with your tender care. Would you remind each soul of who you truly are—that you are good, that you are working all things to make those who love you more and more into the image of your Son, that you will one day make all wrongs right, that nothing can separate those in Christ from your love. Give us greater faith to believe those truths more and more each day. I entrust each of my fellow lamenting sisters to your perfect care. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.
Transcribe →The Laments of Women in the Bible – 5
3d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller As we continue to look at glimpses of lament from women in the Bible, today we come to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Shortly after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple. While there, a man named Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to recognize baby Jesus as the long-awaited and promised Messiah. He prophesied Jesus would cause the rise and fall of many. But then Simeon turned to Mary and told her another prophecy: that a sword would one day pierce her own soul as well. If you are a mother, you know how much feeling there is in motherhood. I remember having physical reactions to hearing my baby’s cry. You feel the pain of your toddler’s skinned knee. Mothers share the pain of a child’s rejection on the playground, or the deep hurts adolescence can bring. Mary was no different—Jesus was her Savior, but he was also her firstborn son. Can you imagine the agony she felt at the cross as she watched her child ridiculed and tortured? It was a piercing sword to her heart. And Jesus saw her pain from the cross. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved (John) standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (John 19:26-27). In Mary’s deep lament, Jesus comforts her by sending her a person. This is a bit surprising because Mary had other sons and daughters who could care for her physical needs, but at this time, they did not believe in Jesus. Jesus gives Mary John as someone who can care for her soul. Friend, one of the ways Jesus most often cares for his people in their lament is through his church. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. Will you give a fellow believer the privilege of walking with you in your pain? I pray today you and I will look for opportunities to care for others who are hurting as well as receive the care of the saints ourselves.
Transcribe →The Laments of Women in the Bible – 4
4d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller What do the women of the Bible teach us about lament? Often when I think of lament, I think of casting the burdens of life at the Lord’s feet. But the Bible also instructs Christians to lament their sin. In Luke 7, a woman does just that. We don’t know much about her, not even her name. The main detail we are given is she had lived a sinful life in that town. In the verses that follow, she comes to Jesus weeping, her tears dripping onto his feet. She dries his feet with her hair and then anoints them with precious perfume. This was not only a display of worship, but a display of lament over sin. Notice the most important part though—she does not hide from Jesus when he comes to town; she does not wallow in self-condemnation and pity; she doesn’t turn to other things to dull the pain of conviction. No, she comes to Jesus with her sin. That is the difference between Satan’s condemnation and the Spirit’s conviction. Condemnation focuses my eyes on my sin where conviction of the Spirit focuses my eyes on my great Savior’s ability and willingness to forgive. Condemnation tells me to run from God and hide, but the conviction of the Spirit calls me to draw near to Christ. And Jesus graciously welcomed her saying, your sins are forgiven (Luke 7:48); your faith has saved you. Go in peace (Luke 7:50). Dear sister, what do you do with your sin? Do you ignore it or try to hide it? Do you defend it or seek to justify yourself? Does shame overwhelm you? Christ is calling you to rightly mourn your sin and agree that it is wrong. But you are called to more than that. Come lament your sin and worship the one who forgives it. Come and receive the truth of the Savior for all who come to him in faith, your sins are forgiven. Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.
Transcribe →The Laments of Women in the Bible – 3
5d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller Have you ever experienced such bitter circumstances that it feels like the Lord is against you? Naomi did. In the book of Ruth, we read Naomi and her family were forced to move to a different country and culture because of a famine in their homeland. Just imagine packing up two children with your husband and leaving everything you ever knew to start again in a new culture. But shortly after arriving, Naomi’s husband died. After being there 10 years, her sons married, which probably seemed hopeful and joyous. However, any joy was short-lived as both of her sons passed away too. At this time in history, a woman with no husband, no sons, and no extended male family members had little chance of survival. Not only did Naomi face abject poverty, but all her hopes and expectations for what her life would look like fell to pieces. After coming back to Israel, she quickly tells those who once knew her to not call her Naomi (meaning pleasant) but Mara (meaning bitter). In Ruth 1:20-21 we get a glimpse into how Naomi viewed God in her suffering. She says, Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me (Ruth 1:20-21). Interestingly, Naomi’s lament isn’t one directed to God—she doesn’t come to him with her burdens, but she does attribute her troubles to him. I think this lack of coming to God is what allowed the bitterness to grow. Have you been there? Have you experienced extreme loss and found yourself thinking, “Why would God allow such bitterness to come into my life?” If you are in this kind of suffering today, where it feels like the Lord has dealt you a lot that is more suffering than you can handle, keep reading the book of Ruth. In Naomi’s suffering, all she could see was the loss, but throughout the book, God shows that he had not forgotten Naomi. He was actively working for her good. By the end of the story, the people around her are praising God because of how he redeemed Naomi’s story and brought joy. Friend, in the depths of your pain, don’t let bitterness grow. Bring your pain to Jesus. He will walk with you through it and is at work even now for your redemption.
Transcribe →The Laments of Women in the Bible – 2
6d ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller Do you ever wonder if God sees your pain or hears your misery? We are looking at glimpses of the laments of women in the Bible. In Genesis 16, we read the story of Hagar. We find her running away from her mistress after being mistreated. Hagar experienced the loss of her homeland, Egypt, when she was given as a servant to Abraham and Sarai. Here, she is newly pregnant, and what was first joyous, now seems treacherous as the relationship with her mistress dissolves in bitterness and jealousy. She has been mistreated and runs away into the desert. I imagine Hagar felt so alone and afraid. But in verse 7, the Angel of the Lord, a figure representing God, comes to her. In verse 11, the Lord tells her she will have a son, and his name will be Ishmael which means “the Lord hears.” What did the Lord hear? He said he had heard Hagar’s misery. It is unlikely that Hagar had a relationship with the Lord before this point, but God says all the groans of misery Hagar faced, he heard. God entered into her pain and reassured her he knew, he understood, he heard. When you are mistreated or are facing circumstances that seem perilous and out of control, know God hears you. He understands the back story and all you face, and he draws near. Interestingly, after God names Hagar’s child, she turns and gives God a name. She says, ‘You are the God who sees me.” She names him “The God who Sees.” Isn’t that comforting? Hagar goes on to say, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” God hears our pain and he sees. He cares and enters our pain. For Hagar, knowing God was near her in her misery was the turning point in her relationship with God. The Lord sees you today too, sister. He hears and is ready to meet you in your lament. Draw near to the Living God who sees and hears you.
Transcribe →The Laments of Women in the Bible
1w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Jenn Miller Biblical lament is the honest and often raw expression of our pain and sorrow before God, and a striking example of this is Hannah. In 1 Samuel 1, we read that Hannah longed for a child but was barren. If that pain weren’t enough, she was constantly reminded of this and ridiculed by another woman. Maybe you have also experienced the intensified suffering of being mocked in your troubles. And it wasn’t just one time; verse 3 says this happened year after year. Hannah found herself in a cycle of suffering she couldn’t get out of. Finally, she went in bitterness of soul to the tabernacle to weep and pray. In verse 15, she described it as pouring out her soul to the Lord. I love that phrase. Often when I am hurting, the pain wells up within me, and I can feel so heavy and burdened. But just like a glass that is full and ready to spill over, when we come to the Lord in our grief in prayer, we have the opportunity to pour out our souls to him, to bring our burdens to his feet, to share everything we are feeling and thinking. Now, this is not always a pretty process. It wasn’t for Hannah. I bet we would describe this as “ugly crying,” not just a sweet dab of the eye when teary, but she held nothing back. The priest Eli was so repulsed he thought Hannah was drunk. But the Lord is not repulsed by our messy expression of need! He delighted in Hannah’s prayer. Psalm 62:8 instructs us to pour out our hearts to the Lord. Friend, what are you holding today that is heavy and burdensome? Do you feel like you are about to crack or burst? The Lord bids you to cast your cares on him because he cares for you. Pour out all your pain and brokenness before the Lord today. Tell him how you feel, your fears, your disappointments. The Lord draws near to those who humbly come and seek him. He invites you to spill out your suffering and let him carry your burdens.
Transcribe →When You Ask
1w ago00:14:28Tap to summarizeThere is power in asking. Think about it in the business world. Selling is asking, isn’t it? I remember when training for sales with IBM I was taught to ask for the order and not to be shy about it. To ask again and again. And I was carefully taught how to ask. So, there’s no doubt that there is power in asking. So, why are we often shy and reticent to ask for something? Well, for one reason, asking for something is humbling, isn’t it? It’s admitting a need and acknowledging that you don’t have total control in some area. You need something that you don’t have and you have to admit it. Also, asking sets you up for rejection. The answer could be “No.” Recently I was in a position of asking for something really significant; it wasn’t for myself but for an important project at my church. I knew who to ask, but for weeks I procrastinated about asking because I didn’t want to get a negative response. When finally I asked, the reception I received was far more favorable and pleasant than I had imagined. But regardless of the response to my request, as long as I didn’t ask there was no way I was going to get it! There was a lot of pride in my attitude toward asking. If the answer was no, I would have to tell everyone involved and I might look foolish. Or I might lose their confidence in me. So, instead of asking, I wasted time worrying about how I would look to others if the answer was no. Not only foolish of me, but prideful as well. In the book of James we read, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2b). I wonder how many blessings we’ve missed for ourselves and others because we simply have not asked God. Please understand, I’m not talking about asking for frivolous things or for selfish reasons. But as Christ-followers we have a Heavenly Father who invites us to ask him for what we truly need, for blessings for ourselves and others. He expects us, as his children, to ask him for help, and yet how often we do not have what he would give us because we do not ask. A few years ago, I was stuck in an airport for two days because of weather-related cancellations, trying to get home, trying to locate my luggage, standing in long lines and hoping to get on a flight soon. As I was standing in one long line with probably fifty other people, a woman who looked like she had some authority walked by, and I just nicely stopped her and asked her a question. She said, “Come to my office,” so I followed her and for about an hour she made phone calls and arrangements, and I walked out of there with a free hotel for the night and a seat on a flight the next day. I asked and got special treatment, not because I deserved it any more than the others in that line, but because I asked. As I said earlier, studies show that women are far more reluctant to ask things for themselves than men are. For example, men are more likely to ask for a raise than women are, and when they do ask, women ask for much less than men do. Women will freely ask for the benefit of others but are reluctant to ask something for themselves. Notice how freely children ask for things. They don’t hesitate to ask Mom or Dad for whatever it is they want at the moment. And they keep asking until often we parents give in just because they keep asking. Jesus told a parable about a widow who kept asking an uncaring and unkind judge for justice against her adversary. Finally the judge decides to grant her request, not because he wanted to do the right thing, but because she kept bothering him. Jesus said, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Luke 18:7-8a). In other words, we have a kind and loving God to ask, not a wicked judge, and yet often we give up asking him to meet our needs. Jesus taught us to keep on asking; don’t quit. What have you given up on asking for? Jesus taught us to be persistent in asking. In all areas of our lives we have to ask for things if we’re ever going to get what we need, succeed at our jobs, complete our tasks. . . whatever! But of course we don’t always get what we ask for, do we? What are some of the reasons that we don’t get what we ask for? In James 4 we are told: When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3). Motives—what are our motives for asking? Receiving what we ask for depends largely on why we are asking for it. So, we have to examine our motives. Asking God—or anyone else, for that matter—for frivolous things, unnecessary things that are simply for our own selfish desires, just doesn’t motivate God or people to want to grant our requests. I remember a woman asking me to pray that God would send her a husband. Well, in itself that’s not a bad request, but her whole motivation was selfish: I want a husband to take care of me. I don’t like being single. God owes me a husband. That was her attitude, and it wouldn’t impress God or anyone else, I don’t think. Secondly, we sometimes don’t get what we ask for because we don’t know how to ask. For example, be specific in what you ask for. If you need some money for a very good reason, not because you’ve been a poor steward of your money, you should be clear about why you need the money, how it will be used, and how much you really need. If you’re asking someone to donate money to a good cause, be prepared to give a good explanation of how the money will be used and the good it will do. When you’re asking for a change in circumstances, like a better work environment, instead of asking that the boss make the situation better for you, ask for the change because it will benefit the company or organization. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask yourself what would motivate that person to want to grant your request. Maybe you’re job hunting right now, or looking for a raise or a promotion. If so, you really need to know how to ask, because the way you ask will in large part determine your success. And the way you ask will be controlled by the questions you ask yourself. For example, do you ask yourself, “What’s wrong with me? Why am I not able to find a job?” Those kind of questions will simply discourage you. You’re telling yourself negatives that affect the way you behave. Are you thinking: I’m too old, or I’m overqualified, or I’m just not aggressive enough? That kind of thinking just provides you with an excuse for why you’re not getting the answers you want. Instead, ask What can I do to make a better impression on an interview? Or, How can I show that my age is an asset and not a liability? Now you’re asking yourself questions that can lead to positive results. These are constructive questions, not destructive ones. If you want to ask better questions, begin by examining the questions you are asking yourself. And be ready to change the way you’ve been thinking. Once again I’m reminded that everything begins in our thought lives. If you think wrong, you ask wrong. If you think according to Philippians 4:8—thoughts that are true, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy—that kind of thinking will lead you to positive, constructive questions. And that certainly includes the questions you ask yourself! I find that I must be intentional about choosing good questions to ask myself—questions that will help me rather than discourage me. I have to bring those questions—those thoughts—into captivity and make them obedient to Christ, as we read in 2 Corinthians 10:5. So, today think about the questions you ask yourself. Are they constructive or destructive? Asking right questions begins with right thinking. Ask and keep on asking. That is a principle that we see in scripture. We are to be askers—and persistent askers, at that. Have you learned the power of asking? We have to ask with right motives, we have to be specific when we ask, and we can’t give up easily. That is true if we’re asking something from God or from our boss—or anyone else for that matter. There’s an important biblical teaching when it comes to asking God for something. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15). The Apostle John gives us a really startling principle—one that almost seems too good to be true. Whatever we ask, we have! Is that what he said? Yes, that’s what he said, but there’s a qualifier—if we ask according to his will. So, that means our motive has to be for the glory of God, not just for our pleasure. And it also means that we need to know what God’s will is so that we can ask in accordance with it. You can’t short-change God’s Word in your life, because knowing God’s will in any particular situation is a function of knowing the Word better and better. God reveals his will through his Word and through his Spirit, who usually reveals his will to us through the Word of God. So, how much time do you spend in God’s Word? Romans 12:1 and 2 says that we can know what God’s good, pleasing and perfect will is by offering ourselves as living sacrifices and being transformed by the renewing of our minds. That transformation happens more and more as we immerse our life in the truth of God’s Word. Do you see the progression here? We need to know God’s will in order to ask appropriately and therefore get what we ask for. In order to know God’s will, we must know God’s Word and be sensitive to the Spirit of God who resides within us, as Christ-follo...
Transcribe →Lamenting like David – 5
1w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Lauren Stibgen We have discovered that we were made to lament and examined the examples we have in Scripture through the life of David. What hits the most for me as I read about lament is the deep trust that God’s will is always best, and he alone deserves the glory! We have heard parts of Psalm 6 this week, from David’s most honest cries to God through his tears that flooded his bed. The ending of this Psalm turns to David’s trust, Depart from me all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer (Psalm 6:8-9). There is not an ounce of doubt coming from David. God heard me crying. He heard me pleading and he accepts my prayer. When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid (Psalm 56:3-4). In you, Lord my God, I put my trust…I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame (Psalm 25:1-2). God, I trust you. I trust you. I trust you! David’s lament was never absent of his trust in God. A deep and abiding love for his Father that he knew would carry him through in battles and in loss, in highs and in lows. When was the last time you uttered the profound, but simple words, God, I trust you? God, I trust you with my work. God, I trust you with this job search. God, I trust you with this very hard conversation. God, I trust you with this difficult colleague. God, I trust you to care for my needs. God, I trust you when I am afraid I might lose my job. God, I trust you when I don’t know how to complete a task. God, I trust you when I feel alone. Did you know this is prayer? Simple, short, and sweet, but it flows from your heart right to God. And it glorifies how he made you to be in a constant and dependent relationship with him! David gave us this example of the pattern of lament and deep trust that he then turned to praise. I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name O Most High (Psalm 9:1-2). Lament. Trust. Praise! How can you use this simple three-word phrase as a reminder in the week ahead?
Transcribe →Lamenting like David – 4
2w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Lauren Stibgen Sometimes God seems far away. Many women I speak with have said this very thing from time to time. Despite their prayers, reading the Bible, and going to church, God seemed distant. They feel like there are no answers coming in their distress, and some have even thrown in the towel with long time prayers. This isn’t what God has planned for us. I like to remind myself about God’s view on time when I feel like he hasn’t answered me in a while. To the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day (2 Peter 3:8). In the context of my view on time, it may not feel like very long to God at all! It’s likely that David ran from Saul between four and thirteen years. I am sure David’s laments to God were very difficult at times. Like, “Hello, Lord? It’s your anointed King David. What are we doing? How long?” I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of my foes (Psalm 6:6-7). Not only was David weary, but he was also worn down to the point of tears! God saw every one of these tears David shed. He sees yours too. And David wasn’t shy about crying out to God! My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night but I find no rest (Psalm 22:1-2). Ultimately, God was with David every step of the way—even when David felt alone, chased, weary, and deep in sorrow. God wants to hear from you. Lament to God about your weariness, tears, and unanswered prayers. Lament to God when he feels distant and like he isn’t answering you. Have you been in a season like this with work? Our adversary may look different than David’s, but it could come in the form of being out of work for an extended period, waiting for a promotion, or feeling like you have an adversary at work challenging your every move. Jesus has promised we will have trouble in this world (John 16:33) but also gives us the hope that he has overcome the world! Turn to the Lord in lament today. Be honest. He wants to hear from you.
Transcribe →Lamenting like David – 3
2w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizePresented by Lauren Stibgen Who are you the most vulnerable with? This word describes a state of being easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally. Is there a person you trust the most? Maybe you are blessed to have more than one person to talk to about your most private matters. But who are you vulnerable with about your sin? Let’s face the fact. Even those of us who have the beautiful gift of grace of salvation in Jesus Christ still sin. We all do. Even when we are trying to live a life holy and honorable before the Lord. The word is clear about confession. Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy (Proverbs 28:13). James tells us to confess our sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16). What does this have to do with lament? David’s life was not all glory. He also sinned and gave us a good example of how to cry out to the Lord in lament for our sin. The story of David and Bathsheba found in 2 Samuel 11 and 12 tells of David’s sins resulting from his lust for Bathsheba. In Psalm 51 we see David’s vulnerability with God as he laments about his sins. Have mercy on me, O’ God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalm 51:1-2). Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me (Psalm 51:11). Remember the definition of vulnerable? A state of being easily hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally. David lamented to God and did not want to be removed from all the goodness of his presence and filling of the Holy Spirit. Even David recalls I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave all my iniquity and sin (Psalm 32:5). David’s lament also reminds us again of what happens when sin goes unconfessed. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long (Psalm 32:3). In his deepest sin, David turned to the Lord. God wants us to do this too. Sin can make its way into any part of our life, including at work! Take some time to examine your heart and lament to God!
Transcribe →