It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
For most people, when you turn to Lamentations in your Bible, the pages are still stuck together. Right? It’s not enjoyable to read about sorrow – true sorrow. Lamentations tearfully describes the grief experienced when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC.
As you read, you can feel the devastating pain from every perspective -the observer, the victim, the city, God, and Jeremiah.
An applicational thought: As a healing process for grief, it may help to see the situation in other perspectives, besides our own.
How could such a thing happen to Jerusalem, where God chose to place His name? The people no longer loved or served God. They turned away to follow other god’s. Prophets warned of the impending judgment. All they had to do was to turn back to God. The warnings were ignored to the very end. Then it was too late. Judgment came.
The main question asked when trouble strikes is, “Why is this happening to me?” There are many reasons for why trouble occurs. But Lamentations zooms in on this one thought. It is God’s way of getting the attention of His own who have gone astray. God means what he says and says what He means. Continual persistent disobedience will end in grief. Make an assessment on how you are living your life. Are your thoughts and actions aliened with God’s will? Is He trying to get your attention? The lesson learned here is not to ignore these warnings. But to humbly submit and return to Him.
This book is dark and gloomy. But, wait… there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel! - It’s called Hope! Our sorrow will not consume us, because of the Lord’s mercies and compassion toward us. Even in the darkest of nights, just as the sun will rise afresh in the morning, so His love and mercies will renew us each day. Morning is coming- He is merciful (3:22-24). The Lord is good to all those who humble themselves, seek and wait patiently for Him. God doesn’t take pleasure in grief.
It’s so wonderful to know that no matter how bad our circumstances are the Lord will help us through it. In the end, we can find hope out of the sorrow. For “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
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