Lamentations 3. Part of this chapter came up in the Joyce Meyer teaching I was listening to on my run yesterday. While I have read this passage before, I can't say I've been in the book of Lamentations regularly. Joyce had focused in on verses 19-24, but the whole chapter is worth the good look.
Lamentations 3:19-24 Remember [O Lord] my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and the gall (bitterness). 20 My soul continually remembers them and is bowed down within me. 21 But this I call to mind, therefore I have hope. 22 It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul; “therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.” The Amplified Bible.
I love when someone shows me a passage in a new way. Joyce pointed out that when we look at our circumstances, when we look how bad things are, we become discouraged and miserable. Our soul bows down within us. We become weighed down and depressed. We become hopeless and our hearts feel desolate.
But when we look around at our circumstances, and instead turn our focus on Jesus, we are comforted and encouraged. We remember that He is ours and we are His and He will work ALL things our for our good, even the troubles and trials we go through. Look at all that is ours: His lovingkindness, His compassion, His faithfulness. He, Himself is our portion and our inheritance. We have hope!
I guess what struck me most about this passage was that when we focus on all that is wrong, it causes us to sink lower and lower, bowing under the pressures and problems of this life. Changing our perspective and seeing with eyes of faith may not change our circumstances, at least not right away, but it will lift our hearts and put us in alignment with Jesus. Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-30 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
We find rest, hope and help when we "do life with Jesus." When our focus is not on the problems but on the problem solver. His comfort and strength will carry us through even the darkest times (and if you read the whole chapter 3 of Lamentations you'll see the Jeremiah was in a very dark time indeed).
We will always have difficulties while we live on this earth. But we get to choose how we go through them. And if they are always going to be with us, wouldn't it be easier and better to keep an attitude of trust and faith rather than worry and woe? Would not the burdens be easier to bear if we stayed focused on God rather than counting our troubles? We can walk with our soul bowed down or with our heart lifted up. 2 Corinthians 5:7 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.
I know this is hard to do. I struggle with it myself on a daily basis. But that doesn't mean we give up. And the more we practice, the better we get!
Today I pray Lord, that You will send Your Holy Spirit to help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Help us to remember that when we are weak You are strong. Help us to remember that everything in this life is temporary, only You are eternal and You will never leave us nor forsake us. It's hard for us to focus on the eternal when life is often so filled with troubles. And we know You could take them all away...but when that is not in Your plan, help us to trust. Remind us often to look up and not around. We need not bow down to our difficulties, no matter how great. Lord, I know I cannot do this on my own, I cannot keep faith front and center when problems, big or small, visit and stay. But I know that You can help me and all of us to grow in this area. And Lord, please help those who have suffered so much loss in the wake of these devastating tornados a few days ago. Please supply their needs, comfort their hearts, give our leaders wisdom to get the necessities in place for living and rebuilding. Please comfort and strengthen those who have lost loved ones. Lord, our hearts breaks with them. And yet we know You are there. Let Your Presence be felt and seen. In Your mighty Name. Amen.
Practice makes perfect. Practice remembering all you have in the Lord, even when the world around you is dark.
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