Lamenting

 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

We've all heard this verse but what the heck does it mean? I mentioned this morning that I off think of Frank Perretti's examples in one of his books where the demons sit on the roofs and dip their fingers in and stir the pot. They disrupt peace and trigger our minds. 

Petretti's books are fiction or are they.

How else do I explain things. I am prone to over think. If you send a hateful email, I take it to heart. I stress over it. If you send a colleague a nasty email, I stress why you would do that. 

So for the third or fourth weekend in a row I'm stressed over - emails and work. I'm suppose to be learning about Jesus, yet, I'm busy over thinking. 

However, right before Peter tells you the devil wants to devour you. He says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. "(vs. 6-7)

Could God be giving me a personal view of lamenting: crying out to Him for help and trusting that help is on the way?

Turn to God-

I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord (Psalm 77:1)

Tell God what's wrong-

God, I feel torn in my spirit. I feel like I have caused stress to others. My spirit is at unrest. I forsee confrontation.

Ask Boldly-

Lord, I do not just ask for peace, I ask for you to resolve the conflict. To handle the situation. "Consider and answer me..." (Psalm 13)

Trust -

Your word says,

"But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:5-6, ESV)

Perhaps practicing lamenting restore a right spirit and renews our sight.