--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The crying out to God in lament over a…" description: "\"“The crying out to God in lament over a broken history is often set aside in favor of a triumphalistic narrative. We are too busy patting ourselves on ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/soong-chan-rah-33108_god_the-crying-out-to-god-in-lament-over-a-b_943290.jpg" --- # The crying out to God in lament over a broken history is… ![“The crying out to God in lament over a broken history is often set aside in favor of a triumphalistic narrative. We are too busy patting ourselves on the back over the problem-solving abilities of the triumphant American church to cry out to God in lament. But lament cannot and must not be…” quote by Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/soong-chan-rah-33108_god_the-crying-out-to-god-in-lament-over-a-b_943290.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/soong-chan-rah-33108_god_the-crying-out-to-god-in-lament-over-a-b_943290.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/soong-chan-rah-33108_god_the-crying-out-to-god-in-lament-over-a-b_943290.jpg) > ““The crying out to God in lament over a broken history is often set aside in favor of a triumphalistic narrative. We are too busy patting ourselves on the back over the problem-solving abilities of the triumphant American church to cry out to God in lament. But lament cannot and must not be ignored. In”” [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The church often replaces sorrow for broken history with self‑congratulation, ignoring needed lament. **In simple terms:** Churches favor triumph over grief, silencing lament. Key Takeaway Make space for honest mourning and repentance. Themes faith history lament humility repentance Mood somber hopeful Type theological reflective When to use this quote - church services - community prayer groups - educational workshops - personal reflection Key Concepts theology cultural critique spiritual health Questions to Reflect On - Why is lament essential for genuine healing? - How can churches balance celebration with sorrow? A Different Perspective Triumphal narratives can dominate, marginalizing lament. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Lament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lament/) ## Related quotes > [“If they are gods, why do you lament them? If you lament them, you must no longer regard them as gods.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/if-they-are-gods-why-do-you-lament-them-if-you-lament-them-you-must/) [Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/) > [“Lamenting keeps us engaged with God. When we lament, we invite God into our pain so that we can know his comfort, and others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaneetha-rendall-risner/lamenting-keeps-us-engaged-with-god-when-we-lament-we-invite-god-into/) Vaneetha Rendall Risner > [“I think of human singing, and note that angels are not said to sing. The gift of singing, of making music, and of composing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/i-think-of-human-singing-and-note-that-angels-are-not-said-to-sing/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [“For the complete biblical narrative to take root in our community, lament has to become a part of our story. Emmanuel Katongole emphasizes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/for-the-complete-biblical-narrative-to-take-root-in-our-community/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Lament challenges the church to acknowledge real suffering and plead with God for his intervention. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/lament-challenges-the-church-to-acknowledge-real-suffering-and-plead/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Lament calls us to examine the work of reconciliation between those who live under suffering with those who live in celebration. Lamentations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/lament-calls-us-to-examine-the-work-of-reconciliation-between-those/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [You do not lament the loss of hair of one who has been beheaded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/you-do-not-lament-the-loss-of-hair-of-one-who-has-been-beheaded/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [I didn't want normal until I didn't have it anymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-didn-t-want-normal-until-i-didn-t-have-it-anymore/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [There are two responses to really awful things. One is to lament and say, "Oh my God, oh lord." And the other is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/there-are-two-responses-to-really-awful-things-one-is-to-lament-and/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [The liberal reward of labour, therefore, as it is the affect of increasing wealth, so it is the cause of increasing population. To complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/the-liberal-reward-of-labour-therefore-as-it-is-the-affect-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [“A premature death does not only rob one of the countless instances where one would have experienced pleasure, it also saves one from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-premature-death-does-not-only-rob-one-of-the-countless-instances/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [You have suffered greatly, poor mother. Oh! do not lament, you have now the portion of the elect. It is in this way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/you-have-suffered-greatly-poor-mother-oh-do-not-lament-you-have-now/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-myriad-of-men-are-born-they-labor-and-sweat-and-struggle-they/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [My heart sobbed a lament that was hard to ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-macalister/my-heart-sobbed-a-lament-that-was-hard-to-ignore/) [Katie MacAlister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-macalister/) > [In some ways, I lament the introduction of civilisation on such a huge scale, because it has given us a lot of room to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-harper/in-some-ways-i-lament-the-introduction-of-civilisation-on-such-a-huge/) [Roy Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-harper/) ## More by Soong-Chan Rah > [“Lament calls us to examine the work of reconciliation between those who live under suffering with those who live in celebration. Lamentations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/lament-calls-us-to-examine-the-work-of-reconciliation-between-those/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Are we so invested in the Western cultural captivity of the church that we are unable to accept God’s right judgment on the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/are-we-so-invested-in-the-western-cultural-captivity-of-the-church/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“The population dominance of Western Christianity has already come to an end. Western cultural captivity and dominance as an epoch of church history is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/the-population-dominance-of-western-christianity-has-already-come-to/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“While we may lament the loss we experience in Western Christianity, we should acknowledge that it may be God’s will that oppressive Western systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/while-we-may-lament-the-loss-we-experience-in-western-christianity-we/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“The evangelical culture moves too quickly to praise from lament. We do not hear from all of the voices in the North American evangelical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/the-evangelical-culture-moves-too-quickly-to-praise-from-lament-we-do/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“The spiritual rituals of Native American Christian communities are perceived as exotic pagan practices that dabble in syncretism and are inferior to the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/the-spiritual-rituals-of-native-american-christian-communities-are/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“An elevated view of one’s self leads to the perception of other cultures through the lens of American Christian exceptionalism. Other cultures are viewed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/an-elevated-view-of-one-s-self-leads-to-the-perception-of-other/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“The dismantling of privilege requires the disavowal of any pretense of exceptionalism. Lamentations”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/the-dismantling-of-privilege-requires-the-disavowal-of-any-pretense/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Non-Western expressions of Christianity, therefore, can be portrayed as inferior to the successful formula for ministry put forth by many white evangelicals in mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/non-western-expressions-of-christianity-therefore-can-be-portrayed-as/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Lament challenges the church to acknowledge real suffering and plead with God for his intervention. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/lament-challenges-the-church-to-acknowledge-real-suffering-and-plead/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“American Christians may be fearful of the dramatic changes that have already occurred in the world and in American Christianity. Could that fear be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/american-christians-may-be-fearful-of-the-dramatic-changes-that-have/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“For the complete biblical narrative to take root in our community, lament has to become a part of our story. Emmanuel Katongole emphasizes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/for-the-complete-biblical-narrative-to-take-root-in-our-community/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“Korean American immigrants that meet faithfully at 5:00 a.m. every day to pray at the church before embarking on a twelve-hour work day are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/korean-american-immigrants-that-meet-faithfully-at-5-00-a-m-every-day/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) > [“A narrative of success propels white evangelicalism over and above other forms of American Christianity. Evangelicals often fail to embrace the important examples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soong-chan-rah/a-narrative-of-success-propels-white-evangelicalism-over-and-above/) [Soong-Chan Rah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) [Explore all 15 Soong-Chan Rah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soong-chan-rah/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The crying out to God in lament over a broken history is often set aside in favor of a triumphalistic narrative. 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