Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Discovering the Grace of Lamentby Mark Vroegop (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019), 223 pp., paper, $11.69Following the stillborn death of his daughter Sylvia in 2004, Pastor Mark Vroegop experienced deep sorrow for the first time in his life. This period of sorrow started Vroegop on a lifelong journey in lament, which was a means of grace to his soul (p. 195). As he began to look at the world with new eyes, he understood that Christians do grieve during times of suffering great loss, but they grieve not as the unbeliever grieves. “Lament is how Christians grieve” (p. 21), and without it “we won’t know how to process pain” (p. 21). “Lament,” the author writes, “is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness” (p. 26).Vroegop provides the layout for the book in the Introduction:This book charts a course for our journey. It will take us through an exploration of four lament psalms and the one biblical book dedicated to the subject: Lamentations. In part 1, I’ll try to help you learn to lament. In part 2, I hope to show you what we learn from lament. And finally, in part 3, we’ll explore how to live with lament—both personally and with others (p. 22).Time and again Vroegop articulates the four key elements of lament: turn [to God], present your complaint, ask in prayer (make a request), and trust the Lord (an expression of trust and/or praise) (p. 29). Turning to the Psalms, he notes how frequently the Psalmists asks two pertinent questions: Why and how? (pp. 43-54). In the first part of the book, Vroegop traces the four key elements, as well as two common questions through four lament psalms: psalms 77, 10, 22, and 13.Part two is a delightful study of lament in the often neglected Old Testament book of Lamentations (pp. 89-153). The heart of this examination is the four truths upon which Jeremiah anchored his soul and is drawn from 3:22-33 (pp. 112-119): God’s mercy never ends; waiting is not a waste; the final word has not been spoken; and God is always good.Part three is the application section of Dark Clouds. Vroegop writes the following:In part 3 we are going to explore ways lament can be practiced from a personal or corporate perspective. We are going to move from learning to lament and learning from lament toward learning how to live with lament (p. 158).Here we are told that “lament helps us embrace two truths at the same time: hard is hard; hard is not bad” (p. 184).The book provides four useful appendixes, including one identifying the psalms of lament by category, a bibliography, a general index, and a scripture index. These, along with the footnotes, are unusual but valuable features in a popular work such as Dark Clouds.The only portion of the book in which I had difficulty were examples that he gave of a prayer gathering with other pastors in which one pastor “called on God with an authority that was strangely refreshing” (p. 57). He was attracted to such bold authority when calling on God and transferred this attraction to the Psalms. I believe at this point Vroegop is confusing biblical confidence with questionable boldness that demands God to act, which I believe transcends confidence. No one, including the biblical authors, dare command God (cf. pp. 60, 66 where he confuses confidence and boldness again). I also question a prayer meeting at his church for parents of wayward children to return to the Lord. And while the grief of some parents seemed to be eclipsed by the boldness of the prayers of others, there was no indication in the story that any of the prayers were answered. My point is not that we should not pray with confidence, but that we go a step too far when we boldly tell God what He should do. Perhaps this is not what Vroegop is implying, but this section struck me as a bit over the top.At any rate, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy is a valuable and accessible study of lament drawn from the Old Testament Scriptures. Many will be comforted by what is written here.Reviewed by Gary E. Gilley, Southern View Chapel

“I’ve seen mercy emerge within dark clouds as pain became a platform of praise, not a pit.” This has been a prayer of mine since day one, albeit much less eloquently spoken.If you want to learn how to weep with those who weep, mourn with those who mourn- lament; if you desire confirmation that your crying, praying, and journaling through biblical lament is indeed constructive this book is an excellent resource. I’m sure most of us have at some time felt ill-equipped when it came to ministering to those whose lives have been forever changed by tragedy. I know I have, and have sadly erred on the side of silence. Mark Vroegop has done a great job teaching individuals and churches the much needed grace of lament. This would make a great personal or corporate study. The chapters end with discussion questions in the event you work through it with a group. Church, we could learn to walk so much closer and deeper within the sorrows one another bear if we learned and practiced true lament. This book is not specific to the loss of a child or loved one, although it was born out of the loss of an unborn child.“Lament allows us to hear the brokenness around us, weep with those who weep, and walk with them on the long road of sorrow.”This book is a slower, deeper read. There is no fluff in the Dark Clouds.

Have you been walking through hard circumstances, and you felt like you just needed to voice those feelings and frustrations to God and maybe even wrestle with him about why you are in these circumstances? I don’t know if you realize it, but that is one of the steps of lament. I learned so much from Mark Vroegop’s book: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament. If you are walking through any heartbreak or grief, I highly recommend this book. It will help you understand what is lament, the 4 key elements and how to implement into your life to help you grieve. I think this is one of the best books I have read, and I have given this books as gifts to people who are hurting.

Great book based on biblical principles found in Lamentations and Psalms. It can be used as a bible study bc each chapter has great questions. This book is jammed with how to deal with life's rough road with God at your side. It reminds us we can call out in community and alone in prayer and tell God our troubles, He will guide us through.

very very good inspiring read

I like Vroegop’s perception and sensitive navigation through relating to God in lament. Turn, complain, ask boldly and trust - easy to remember pricess which should be practised in prayer.

Really got me thinking about the way we pray and worship. Made me miss my psalm singing church in geelong

Wow! This book explores the lost art of lament. This is something that anyone should read. It provides a way to reconcile the Good God with the physical and mental pain we experience. It is not a quick fix or a quick read, although not hard to read as it is well written. It has been a book I have had a hard time putting down. It is a book to spend time with. The authors questions in each chapter provide the opportunity to evaluate your views on what you think about God, pain, and yourself. Definitely read this book with a journal for answering the questions. As the author says, "To cry is human, but to lament is Christian"