Dressed For Success

Amid a world filled with unsettling news events, it is natural to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or even despondent. Whether it is the latest global crisis, personal challenges, or societal issues, the weight of bad news can sometimes feel unbearable. The material circulating online, predominantly on social media, following last weekend’s stabbings has highlighted a particular concern for young people being confronted with violent and disturbing news. How do we equip them to cope with the grimmer realities of the world? There are certainly some unhelpful ways to respond to these moments that I often observe in myself and others.
One of these is the denial response. We refuse to engage with whatever the bad news is and instead distract ourselves with music, work, social media, gaming, Netflix or anything that stops us from thinking about the bad stuff. The trouble with denial is that the bad stuff doesn’t go away – we just avoid dealing with it. Removing yourself from unhelpful negative reporting is certainly a good idea, as is giving yourself a break from the constant bombardment of news, but at some point, we have to confront the fact that not everything in the world is good.
The opposite of this approach is to wallow in bad news. Instead of avoiding it, we almost revel in it, digging into every horrible detail we can find until we become paralysed and overwhelmed by hopelessness. There is even a name for it – it is called ‘doom-scrolling’, and I have certainly fallen victim to it at times.
But what if there was a different way to respond?
Enter Christian lament – a concept often overlooked but deeply profound in its implications. Lament, far from being a mere expression of grief or complaint, offers us a pathway to navigate through the storms of life with a sense of purpose and assurance. It is a practice deeply rooted in the ancient wisdom of the Psalms, where two-thirds of the collection is dedicated to lament.
At its core, lament is an expression of grief and sadness, often accompanied by a sense of righteous anger at the injustices of the world. It is a raw, honest response to the brokenness that surrounds us – a recognition that some things are fundamentally wrong and demand to be acknowledged. But lament is more than just a lamentation of the present; it is also a declaration of hope for the future. Even amid our darkest moments, we cling to the promise that God is at work, bringing about redemption and restoration.
There has been much written about the process of lament but here I want to suggest four things that I think lament does that can help all of us, including young people, deal with the bad news that so often surrounds us:

1. External Expression of Feelings: Lament provides us with a safe space to express our emotions externally. Instead of bottling up our feelings or turning them inward, God invites us to share them openly and honestly with Him. Health experts already agree that failing to express our emotions can be unhelpful. When we fail to express our emotions, our brain can often go into the fight-or-flight state. This is a physical reaction to stress that sets off a chain of events throughout our bodies. It increases our heart rate, slows digestive functions, and makes us feel anxious or depressed. In lament, we are not only encouraged to express our emotions, but we also find solace in knowing that our cries do not fall on deaf ears but are heard by a compassionate and understanding God.
2. Honesty About Injustice: One of the greatest strengths of lament is its ability to confront the reality of injustice head-on. We do not sugarcoat or ignore the harsh realities of life; instead, we name them for what they are. Lament allows us to be brutally honest about the brokenness of the world, refusing to gloss over or minimize the pain and suffering we see.
3. Handing Over Our Anger and Despair: In the face of overwhelming tragedy, it is easy to feel powerless and overwhelmed. But lament offers us a lifeline – a way to hand over our anger and despair to the one who is truly able to do something about it. By entrusting our pain to God, we acknowledge our limitations and place our trust in His sovereignty and goodness. That is not to say that we shouldn’t be motivated to take appropriate action against injustice or tragedy. The opposite is true. Anger may inspire us to speak out against injustice. Grief may move us to acts of compassion. But we are not ruled by either emotion, instead, we are directed by a hopeful vision of the future.
4. From Lament to Trust and Hope: Despite the darkness that surrounds us, lament ultimately leads us to a place of trust and hope. By acknowledging the brokenness of the world and entrusting it to God, we are freed to turn our focus and attention to positive things – to actively participate in the work of redemption and restoration that God is bringing about in the world.

So next time you notice yourself, or someone close to you doom-scrolling, spiralling into despair about the state of the world, or consumed by a growing rage against the evils of society:

• Don’t hide from it or deny it: Acknowledge the reality of the situation, no matter how painful it may be.

• Don’t wallow in it: While it is important to acknowledge our feelings, we must also guard against becoming consumed by them.
• Consider lamenting it: Express your feelings openly and honestly to God, trusting that He hears your cries and cares deeply about your pain. And take heart in the promise that one day “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Reverend Daniel Lowe
Senior Chaplain