“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’” (Lamentations 3:21-24, ESV)
Perhaps today you are weary and worn. You feel forsaken, and you’re ashamed of feeling so. If only you had more faith or were a “real” Christian, you wouldn’t be struggling with these thoughts and emotions.
Sometimes our problems are self-inflicted and what we suffer is directly related to our own poor choices, but other times we do all the right things and the bottom falls out.
Sometimes our pain may actually be a result of doing right! And in those moments, it’s especially easy to wonder where God is and why He doesn’t respond.
Lamentations 3 reminds us that we aren’t the only ones to feel these raw emotions and grapple with hard questions. It shows us the heart of a prophet who was obedient, and that obedience cost him dearly (rejection, imprisonment, persecution).
Jeremiah is a man in crisis, crying out at the pain God has caused him. And then flashes of truth break through his fog of anxiety. The depression lifts long enough for him to recall God’s character. And in the middle of your swamp of emotions, I pray your heart can be strengthened by the words that strengthened his.
You are not alone and have not been forgotten. His mercies are new, and they are for you. His faithfulness is unchanged, and He knows where you are. He understands your emotions, and even the spiritual “greats” have been through them as well. Hold on. Hope in Him!
