Every day we’re confronted by headlines that remind us of this world’s brokenness. But grief over sin and its effects also hits close to home—in our churches, among our families, and within ourselves. Avoiding either a stoic disregard or hopeless despair, what’s the proper Christian response to the sorrows of this life?

In a new article for TGC, Mark Vroegop shares how he learned the language of lament amid grief and loss. “Looking back,” Vroegop explains, “I can now see that the missing element in our grief was a familiarity with lament—heartfelt and honest talking to God through the struggles of life.”