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In the final part of his lament, the Psalmist remembers the faithfulness of God by recalling the story of the Exodus. He describes God rescuing His people from Egypt with His mighty outstretched arm. The reminder is that because God saved His people then, we should be confident that He can and will do it now. However, one of the things worth noticing is the reality that God did not literally rescue His people with a mighty arm. He did not snatch them up or plop them down in the promised land. Instead, He allowed a centuries-long process of slavery, suffering, listening to their cry, sending Moses, bringing plagues, leading the nation to the Red Sea, and dividing the waters for them to walk through safely. As an all-powerful God, the Lord could have snapped His fingers and saved His people, but instead, He used a long, drawn-out process. As you study the Bible long enough, you will conclude that God loves process.

The final step of lament is learning to trust God’s process. It means realizing that just because God has not changed the situation does not mean God isn’t moving. It allows me to be fully confident that God has heard my prayer and is working even if I don’t see or feel things getting better. I heard a preacher say that God is doing 10,000 things in your life at any given time, and you might only be aware of three of them. This brings me great comfort, knowing that God is working His process in this world and my life, whether I perceive it or not. Finally, it reminds me that I am a work in process, being formed and shaped by the power of the Holy Spirit into the image and likeness of Jesus. One day, that process will end, my faith will be sighted, and I will see God face to face. Until then, I continue praying prayers of lament, asking that the Lord would build my faith one prayer at a time.

For Today: Ask God for the grace and faith to trust His process.

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