You Weep with Me

9/8/2026

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been grieved by various trials, 1 Peter 1:6, ESV

Peter knew firsthand what it meant to suffer grief in the trials as we follow Jesus. Literally, he was on the front lines of ministry with Jesus Himself and personally witnessed the sufferings of Jesus (1 Peter 5:1). Peter also saw that the sufferings of Christ accomplished something - our salvation (1:9). In this same way, then, Peter points out to us that it is necessary for us to walk through grievous trials because it accomplishes something in us.

As Peter tells us in 1:7, our faith is being refined so that we’re ready and walking in authenticity of faith when Jesus returns. In all of this, though, we lament our hurts, griefs, losses, trials, and difficulties as a means of worship and as a means of connecting with God in our pain. Many of God’s faithful people have lamented in Bible times and in the time since then.

Here are the aspects of a lament that are seen in Lamentations 3:1-25:

Acknowledge the grief, issue, frustration, hurt, etc.
Allow yourself to feel it and grieve
Turn this all over to Jesus, which takes the focus off of us and puts it back onto God, where our focus belongs.

Remember, this is a process and a journey, not a linear destination. We all grieve and lament differently. But, as we saw in Scripture on Sunday, there has to be a “Vav Adversative” moment - a point when we turn to God in all of this and reaffirm our trust, faith, and love for Him, even in the middle of our pain. It doesn’t mean everything is resolved. It simply means we’re holding on to Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, the One who is familiar with all of our griefs and Who walks with us in them.

May we be brave and lament as needed,

Pastor Andy

Please read 1 Peter 1:13-21 for Sunday.

Questions for reflection or discussion:

What are ways that you avoid experiencing grief? And, what lengths do you go to in order to avoid grief?
What are some griefs that Jesus is asking you to process with Him?
How can you use the ways Jeremiah brings his lament to the Lord in your journey with Jesus?