I want what I want, but I know that what you want is better.
That isn’t arrogant, that doesn’t “steal faith from the room” — that is just how finite human beings ought to pray. Finite human beings ought to be honest about what they want and honest about what they see. So you go ahead and pray for whatever you want, but you make it clear that what you want most of all is for God’s will to be done because he might be doing something bigger than you are able to see; so you pray for that; in faith; and you will always get what you ask for.
When your mountain doesn’t move do widen your perspective but do not hide your pain.
7. Do not hide your pain even as you persevere.
Human beings are entitled to their reactions. Job defended that right early on in the book. He said, “Does the wild donkey bray when he has grass, or the ox low over his fodder?” (Job 6.5)
Animals make noise over their food — how much more should human beings be allowed to weep over their pain?
You are allowed to cry when your mountain doesn’t move. You are entitled to your pain and you are entitled to our fellowship within it. The Bible says: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15 ESV).
We sometimes default too fast to certain verses at the expense of others. Yes, the Bible does say in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we are not to grieve: “as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV).
That verse is in the Bible.
But so is this: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35 ESV).
To state the obvious, CHRISTIANS MOURN — but not without hope.
Every word of that verse matters and it matters a great deal when you pull it out. That’s probably not your go-to verse at a funeral. That’s probably a verse you pull out a couple months later, after the dust settles and the frozen lasagnas have all been eaten. Until the last one is taken out of the freezer you are probably better off parking yourself in John 11:35 .
People being crushed by their mountain are entitled to their pain.
They shouldn’t have to hide.
They shouldn’t have to pretend.
But they should show up for worship.
8. Do persevere and show up for worship.
Never let an unmoved mountain keep you from worshipping the Lord.
Job didn’t.
When a tornado knocked over the house that his kids were in and every single one of them died the Bible says this:
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:20–21 ESV)
