Even in the Darkest Hour: Lament as a Path to God

by Michael Huston

For many of us, faith and hard work are often seen as the keys to overcoming challenges. But what does it look like to stay faithful when “more faith” and “more work” do not make things better? What does one say when one cannot express praise? How do we maintain connection to God from within our pain?

In Even in the Darkest Hour, Michael Huston illustrates how a close relationship with God is premised on including sincere, faithful expressions of our frustration, anger, and pain. With captivating insight and drawing from a rich scriptural history, Michael Huston helps us to understand that lament—faithfully taking our complaints to God—has the power to transform us, our families, and our communities by anticipating deliverance and opening the possibility for newness in our lives.

Genres: Lds, Nonfiction, Church, Religion, Self Help

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2024

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shifted in me how I look at the trials we have in life and the way that they can bring us closer to our loving Heavenly Father. It also helped me to think more deeply on how I sit with others as they experience difficult moments in life. There are so many things to learn from this book that I know I will revisit it again.

Some favorite quotes from it:

The language of lament gives a meaningful form to our grief by providing a vocabulary for our suffering and then offering it to God as worship.

Lament expresses one of the most intimate moments of faith, not denial of it. It is supreme honesty before God whom my faith tells me I can trust.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 not because it was a page-turner, it wasn’t, it took me months to get through, but the content and insight was exceptional. The idea that “lament is worship just as much as praise is.” Was a beautiful mindset shift for me. So many good thoughts.

“Lament is the vehicle that allows us to worship from within our suffering.”

“God is strong enough to be our God in all seasons of life.”

“There is nothing faithless about clinging to covenant through lament.”

“And the fact that sadness, sorrow, grief, and pain are in our sacred text should signal to us that there is something about those feelings which makes them just as sacred as their more pleasant counterparts.”

“But this was not something that Adam and Eve tried to avoid; it was a reality that Adam and Eve both acknowledged and embraced (see Moses 5:11). Life would necessarily be hard and sometimes sorrowful, and that was part of the plan.”

“Lament is when we take our anger and confusion to God, and, by so doing, that anger and confusion become sacred. Lament is our lifeline when the storm is more than we think we can bear.”

“Lament serves as a lifeline for those in pain. Lament is how those who are tempest-tossed in the ocean of life’s journey tie themselves to the deck of the ship of faith”

[Apzmarshl · Rating 5 out of 5]

My notes from this book...

Leaning into vulnerability helps us transform through love.
God wins our affection by making himself eternally vulnerable to the pain of the human condition

God is not a stoic God. He is Enoch's God the God who weeps He is emotionally vulnerable and shows emotional vulnerability

God knows pain and is not afraid of an authentic Covenant relationship

God is strong enough to be our God through all seasons of life

Lamemnt
Remain in dialogue with the divine
The divine silence is the holy of holies
Lament can be a lifeline to worship from within our sorrow

[Hailey Shoemaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If the hard and difficult parts of life and the feelings those events elicit are just as holy and just as important as happy and joyful moments--and our sacred texts make clear that they are--then if our worship is to be authentic, we must also make room to include expressions of sadness and grief from a foundation of faith."

"Where murmuring is half-suppressed resentment ABOUT God, lament is fully open expression TO God."

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting, thought-provoking idea. The writing was a little dry academia. Overall, worth the read. I’ve already put some of it into practice.

[~Bellegirl91~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a REALLY good book and I was enjoying the new insights into allowing lament occur into our lives and even community, but the last third of the book or so felt like it was just repeating and rambling on and on. And I felt like some parts (just a few) in my personal opinion turned into his own opinions on some things that I personally felt like it didn't have to do with this book.

Overall, I'd still recommend it since the author seems or have studied a topic not many Christians study and majority of it for a while was good, then the last two chapters, mainly the last one, was dragging ans became too long. That's just me though. But I'm still glad I picked this up cause there were other things I felt like I needed to hear or be reminded of ans was uplifting for me in other places for sure.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treating lamentation as worship is long overdue in the Puritan/protestant tradition that informs current Christian thought.

In the modern vernacular, we gain more by being vulnerable with God like the ancients were. To feel deeply whether joy or pain is to gain a greater connection with God.

This book explores how lamentation can bring souls solace in the midst of life's most painful moments. It uses the lamentation psalms and other scripture where God's children are pouring their hearts out to Him in anguish to show how those times bring us closer to Him.

Definitely thought provoking.

[Ava Bocanegra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provided me with such a healing, peaceful paradigm shift!! I appreciated the thoughts about living in a praise-focused religious culture and felt so validated in using language and expressions of lament as a form of worship as well as a way to strengthen covenantal relationships with God. I definitely felt like I was drinking out of a fire hose with this one. I will need to re-read/refer back to this book often- I feel so inspired😊

[Swhe641200 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libby. A different concept in sadness, trails and hard times in our lives. The most important thing to me is our relationship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Faith, Hope Gratefulness. Lament gives a new perspective to always keep the line of communication open with our Heavenly Father.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, completely unfamiliar with this topic and a book I likely need to read and ponder more about. Well written and highly recommended. I do believe in being authentic with God, He knows our frustrations already. A lot of power in lamenting.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book explaining why and how lament is integral to a relationship with God as well as how we can create an atmosphere in our relationships that welcomes lament. This is written for members of The Church of Jesus Christ but can be applicable to all.

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little repetitive, but there was some really great discussion in here. My favorite parts were (1) the kind of peripheral distinction between murmuring and lament and (2) the discussion on “newness” toward the end.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop reading. As a therapist and TS President, this is a book that so many LDS people can use. I love the insight and depths it went into to help with comprehension. Beautifully written—much needed.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first 50 pages and then it started to drag. It’s an important topic but I thought the book was a little too long.

[Lauren Perotto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Unique viewpoint and thought provoking. Articulated my own thoughts and feelings so well.

[Kileigh Martin Andrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, the beginning was a little slow for me. But it brought to light a new perspective for me and gave support in needed areas.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate to sound dramatic, but this is one of the most important books I've ever read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well-written book about a concept I have never considered. I especially liked his examples. The epilogue was also helpful.

[Cayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many good insights. So many things I want to ponder more and find if I can do better at this and to allow others the space to do it as well.

[Nedra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of Lament described in this book. His examples were clear, his progression of the value and his stipulations that separate lament from murmur seem correct. Nevertheless, there is so much repetition and interruption that I found d myself losing interest toward the end of the book I found myself feeling this all could’ve been an excellent devotional or article in a scholarly journal, but 165 pages may have been too much. However, I invite all to consider lament as a form, even an important form of worship and establishing authentic relationship w God.