Live the Psalms by Trusting God with Lament

When God seems silent and our prayers go unanswered, the overwhelming temptation is to leave the story—to walk out of the desert and attempt to create a normal life. But when we persist in a spiritual vacuum, when we hang in there during ambiguity, we get to know God. In fact, that is how intimacy grows in all close relationships.

Look how different Isaiah’s pilgrimage is from the five stages of grief. Instead of withdrawing (Stage 1: Denial), Isaiah boldly moves into God’s presence, asking for help. Instead lashing out at God (Stage 2: Anger), he unashamedly holds God to his word. Instead of manipulating (Stage 3: Bargaining), he tells God directly what he wants and why he