About a year ago, I sat in church singing the worship song, “My King Forever,” and abruptly stopped because I could not bring myself to sing the words.  “I lift my hands up, Lay my whole life down, My whole life now is for you….”  I wasn’t sure exactly why I was holding back but I couldn’t sing that song of surrender.

A few months ago, I was having dinner with a friend and we were talking about the Psalms and how worship is a way to enter into relationship with God, singing His promises back to Him with a posture of surrender.  That song I couldn’t sing immediately hit me.  I was resistant to sing because although I knew His promises were true, I didn’t trust Him enough to surrender every part of what was happening in my life to Him.  I couldn’t lay my whole life down.  If I sang it, I knew deep down I needed to mean it, and if I meant it, I couldn’t stay where I was.  I also realized that was also why I avoided reading the Psalms during the last year.  I knew worship and reading laments would change me and I wanted to sit in the hurt.

Have you ever noticed how singing worship songs shifts your attitude?  If I am in a bad mood and play worship songs my entire mood shifts.  I start focusing on the bigness of God and my problems or worries get smaller.  I’m rehearsing His promises back to Him and speaking truth to my heart.  Praise changes us.  It is a habit we must do to keep a healthy vertical relationship with God.  

Praise doesn’t necessarily change the circumstance but it changes our hearts and perspective. Around half of the Psalms are laments. A lament is a prayer that expresses sorrow, hurt, or confusion. Lament starts with the hurt but moves to praise. God wants us to bring the pain to Him and through the prayer or song, His presence leads us to praise.

Lament in prayer or song is reassurance to our soul that He is still there, even while we still hurt. His promises still stand true. Though the storms rage around us, He is still our rock. There is nothing that surprises Him. He already knows everything we will face. How can we not be moved to praise when we enter into His presence in prayer or song.

Are you feeling stuck in the hurt?  What things are you afraid to surrender in lament to Him?  I pray that you enter into His presence with your lament and let your heart be moved to praise.  It really revives our hearts and anchors us into Him.  May we land on His grace.