These last twenty-four hours have been heartbreaking and mind-boggling. We never expected our year to start this way.
We’re left feeling hurt, confused, frustrated, sad, and helpless. Can anyone relate?
When we look into the Bible, Jeremiah is someone who could probably relate. As a prophet, he was called by God to denounce sin and warn the Israelites that judgement and destruction was coming, if they didn’t change their ways.
Nebuchadnezzar was a ruler in Babylon, and as Jeremiah prophesied, this king attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the city along with the temple.
This changed the course of Jerusalem’s history. Because of their corruption, for the next 70 years, the people of Israel were scattered. Many Israelites were taken captive (including Daniel and his friends). Only a small remnant stayed behind.
How confused and frustrated they must have felt!
Jeremiah never had an easy job as the prophet of doom…and he probably didn’t make many friends doing it.
But, didn’t mince his words when he talked to God about his feelings. He was raw and honest.
The author of the book that bears his name and likely the book of Lamentations, we see him pour out his heart and his frustrations and anger.
Here are a few descriptions from Lamentations 3:
~his heart is pierced
~he’s deprived of peace
~left without help
~his soul is downcast
But if you scroll down to the end of the chapter, you see the word YET…
Ah! A glimmer of hope. Just maybe, all of this sadness and bitterness and anger WON’T last longer.
Lamentations 3:21-23 says, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (NIV)
Notice he says that he calls this to MIND. In other words, we need to remind ourselves that despite what we see on our feeds or hear on TV, we have to bring back to mind 3 UNCHANGING things about God:
God’s love, God’s compassion, and God’s faithfulness.
That will bring us all HOPE.
As a believer, we can never lose hope in the One who has sustained us day after day. In your conversation with God, open up like Jeremiah did about how you feel. He knows your heart.
Then, bring to mind His unchanging characteristics, and you will leave that conversation knowing that NO MATTER what happens tomorrow, we can trust in God.
~Elizabeth (Betsy)
