I’ve been drained lately. I just feel at the end of myself, which is likely right where God wants me. nevertheless, its painful, scary and uncomfortable to say the least.
This morning I was sitting reading in Lamentations. I had forgotten how much I love this book of the Bible. The author of Lamentations officially remains nameless to my understanding, but many believe it was Jeremiah. In Hebrew Lamentations means “how”. I’ve often asked God, “how did this happen?” Or “why am I going through this?” You may have asked this same question, as a result of yours or someone else’s sin or poor decision.
Lamentations 3:25-36 MSG reads-
“God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
To the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young to stick it out through hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble.
Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.”
Maybe you have messed something up lately or maybe a relationship you have isn’t working. Perhaps you feel God is far away or absent altogether. Maybe you’re waiting for a God-given promise. There is hope. I love what this passage says about entering the silence when we are seeking God for something. I know my default can be to phone a friend to gab about the situation before I talk to God about it.
Nevertheless, take some advice from the “lamenting” book and go off by yourself. Pray about it, and whatever you do- don’t ever stop waiting for hope to appear.