Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Lamentations 3:17-20 NLT
One thing that I love about the Word of God is that it’s real. It’s not a book that sugar coats life, but instead is relevant. The pain of life is something we have all experienced. We can all relate to the raw heartache and honest emotions expressed by Jeremiah in this passage: loss of peace, disappointment, suffering. Yes, our circumstances differ from his and from each others, yet loss and suffering are part of the human experience.
Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this. The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” Lamentations 3:21-24 NLT
It’s also a book that points us to the one real source of hope! Jeremiah understood that knowing God brings hope. Why? Because God’s love for us never ends. He is merciful and faithful to us all the time! He always knows what’s best for us and can bring us safely through any situation!
The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26 NLT
There’s only one answer when your peace is stripped away. Seek God. Depend completely on Him and wait quietly for His help. Waiting is never easy, but God’s timing is always perfect.
For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow. Lamentations 3:31-33 NLT
As believers in the Sovereignty of God, our faith is tested when He allows trials to come our way. That’s just human nature. When you are called upon to suffer, keep this passage in mind and remember that God takes no pleasure in your suffering. Even if you are in a season where you are sowing what you’ve reaped, God loves you, and never enjoys seeing you in pain! His ways are higher than our ways. He loves us enough to allow certain circumstances in our lives, even painful ones, when He knows they will ultimately benefit us and our loved ones. During times of suffering trust in His wisdom and higher ways, even when you don’t understand them. Let’s be honest, would we really want a God who’s understanding and wisdom was no higher than our own?
My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees. My heart is breaking… Lamentations 3:49-51a NLT
But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!” Yes, you came when called; you told me, “Do not fear.” Lamentations 3:55-57 NLT
If your heart is breaking today, God sees your tears and hears your cries for help. Let His Word bring you hope. Let Him speak to your heart these words of comfort, “Do not fear.”