In this episode, Whit and Casey explore the prophet Joel, the importance of lament, the steps of genuine repentance, and how to create space for God to move in our lives.
The book of Joel is one of the more ambiguous prophetic texts in the Old Testament. Scholars debate whether Joel was a prophet to the northern or southern kingdom and whether his ministry was pre- or post-exilic. Despite this uncertainty, Joel’s message is clear: God invites His people to return to Him through lament and repentance.
Joel opens with a vivid description of a locust invasion, urging the people to tell their children about it. This devastating event serves as a metaphor for the judgment of God.
Beyond the physical devastation, the locusts symbolize something deeper: the spiritual barrenness that results from neglecting the relationship with God, a warning of what happens when His people fail to honor Him.
However, Joel’s prophecy is not merely a message of doom; it’s also a message of hope. Even in the midst of judgment, there is an invitation from the Lord to restore what has been lost. God’s heart is not for destruction but for renewal, and He is ready to bring healing and restoration to His people. But this restoration isn’t automatic; it requires a response. It must begin with lament.
Lament is the honest expression of grief and sorrow over the brokenness in our lives and in the world. It’s a recognition that things are not as they should be, and it’s the starting point for repentance and new life. As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Mourning is an entrance into the kingdom of heaven, a place where God meets us in our pain.
Many of us have not yet faced the deep wounds in our own lives. Going to that painful place isn’t easy. There are times when we experience deep pain and loss, and God is patient, waiting for us to be ready to deal with it.
But at some point, we have to deal with it: the pain we don’t process, we keep. Our sinfulness often stems from our woundedness, keeping us in a cycle of pain.
In his work on trauma, Peter Levine explains that trauma isn’t just what happens to you, but what happens inside you in the absence of a compassionate witness. We desperately need someone to sit with us in our pain and say, “I see you.” We need God to move toward us in those spaces where we feel utterly alone, to be a witness to our pain.
People might forget if you were there for the good times, but they will always remember if you were there in the bad times. This is true of our relationship with God as well. He is with us in our brokenness, loving us through it, and inviting us to recognize our part in it.
It’s not enough to make excuses for what we’ve done; there’s a reckoning that must happen—a confrontation with the things that have happened to us and the things we’ve done.
Sanctification often involves God leading us to more vulnerable places in our hearts. It’s an invitation to explore the brokenness within us, to bring it out into the light. God doesn’t ask us to be perfect; He asks us to be honest. Repentance begins with confession—bringing out the contents of our hearts.
Too often, we talk about how we should be feeling rather than how we’re actually feeling. But true repentance means saying, “God, I believe You want to move into this space and heal me.”
One helpful way to think about repentance is through the CARR model:
When we do this, we create space in our souls to be filled with the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t want our religious behavior; He wants our hearts. When we turn to Him in genuine repentance, He relents from judgment and takes away our shame.
The journey of repentance and lament is not about hunting for every past mistake and trying to fix it all at once. It’s about creating space with the Lord, slowing down, and asking simple questions about what’s going on in your life and your heart. God will open your eyes to things you would never even know to look for.
Maybe you don’t feel like reading your Bible or praying—start by wanting to want to. Admit your need and ask for help, and then let God help you.
He wants you to bring the fullness of your brokenness to Him so that He can begin a work in you.
Show Notes:
Listen to the message: Joel: A Pattern for Renewal
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