Become New with John Ortberg

6. Why We Don’t Know How to Lament


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What if the pain you’re avoiding is actually the path to healing?
And what if God already gave you the words for it?

In Part 2 of this conversation, John Ortberg and Rankin Wilbourne explore one of the most overlooked practices in the Christian life: lament.

If the Psalms are the prayer book of God’s people, why are so many of them… sad? And why do we avoid praying that way?

You’ll discover:
- Why lament is essential (not optional) in spiritual life
- How lament becomes a bridge between pain and trust
- Why avoiding pain actually deepens it
- A practical way to pray honestly without getting stuck in despair

This is Part 2 of a 3-part conversation on learning to pray your emotions.

📚 Today's Resources:

A Grief Observed — C. S. Lewis (indirect thematic reference)
Naming the Silences — Stanley Hauerwas

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Music Credits:
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00:00 – Picking Up the Conversation (Part 2)
00:21 – Why the Psalms Are Full of Sad Songs
01:17 – 30–70% of Psalms Are Laments
01:44 – “How Long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13)
02:14 – What Lament Reveals About Life
02:40 – Why We Resist Lament
03:06 – What Lament Actually Is
03:36 – Permission to Bring Everything to God
04:08 – Do You Pray Like This?
04:31 – Image 1: Running Toward the Storm (Buffalo)
05:31 – Why Avoiding Pain Makes It Worse
06:04 – The Paradox of Grief
06:34 – Image 2: Lament as a Bridge
06:59 – From Pain → Trust (Psalm 13 Turn)
07:38 – How Psalms Train Us to Trust
08:04 – When Prayer Turns Into Rumination
08:52 – Using Psalms as Scaffolding
09:43 – Why Lament Doesn’t Leave You Stuck
10:11 – Learning the “Turn” to Trust
10:46 – Rehearsing Trust Like a Song
11:13 – Naming the Silences
11:48 – Training Your Heart Through Prayer
12:13 – Guided Prayer (Psalm 5)
12:58 – Key Takeaways + Preview Part 3

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