1 Samuel 1:1-10 "When Life Is Heavy" Sermon Series: Stuck in the Middle (A Series on Christian Lament)

As Christians we are stuck in the middle of two realities: the now and the not yet. While much of our present experience is filled with joy, victory, gain, and plenty, there still remains the ever-present sting of sorrow, defeat, loss, and want in this world. We see it; we feel it; and we even engage it in the events going on both around us and within us. And though we know that all of these stinging hurts will be wiped away in the future glorious coming of the heavenly “not yet,” we must learn to appropriately wrestle with them in a Godly way here in the “now”. This week Pastor Dan began a topical series on Christian lament, the Biblical language that helps us navigate the often long and winding path that spans the gap between our current circumstances and our coming hope. Join us online or in-person as we learn from various passages of Scripture how we can walk this path with Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, and be led to trust His Sovereignty and hold onto His goodness even when the circumstances of life make it hard to do so.

If the events of 2020 have revealed anything, it’s that life is really heavy at times. From the ongoing impact and fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic to the civil and political unrest among our nation’s people, there is much over which we can be grieved and sorrowed. Add to this our own difficult personal circumstances and the weight of our lives can become just too heavy a burden for us to bear. If you’ve ever felt this way – or even feel this way now – be assured that you are not alone. This Sunday we began our new series on Christian lament, “Stuck in the Middle,” by entering into the heavy and troubled life of a woman named Hannah and considering together the reality we all share of living in the gap between the now and not yet.