"I am the man who seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath. He has Driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day. He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away, He has broken my bones. He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship. In dark places He has made me dwell, like those who have long been dead. He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. He is to me like a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate. He bent His bow and set me as a target for the arrow. He made the arrows of His quiver to enter into my inward parts. I have become a laughingstock to all my people, their mocking song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drunk with wormwood. He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has made me cower in the dust. My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. So I say "My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord." Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord."- Lamentations 3:1-26 (NASB)
I hope that you will read the scripture first before you read this.
This little bit of scripture is quite amazing! When I first started reading it, I could not help feel depressed/sad for this person. The person writing is most likely Jeremiah, who is sharing in Israel's punishment from God. Israel has rebelled against God and forgotten about God, and God was punishing them. Although I can't relate to some of the authors pain, I have definitely felt pain and depression before. I have had those moments in life where all the hope and happiness in the world have simply vanished. I have seen things happen and wondered why? Why God? These verses remind me that God is in control of all things! My joy and my pain. As humans, we experience pain and joy. As Christians, we experience pain and joy. Why pain? I'm not sure, I could say that because in our pain we really know joy and happiness. Or that in our pain, we recognize who God is and our dependency on Him. But like I said I don't know? But like the scripture says I know that God is in charge, and that his loving kindnesses never cease! So brother, whatever hard time you may be going through don't forget that God is still good. Remember that God has provided you with Jesus, and he is our soul's portion. Be patient, and continue to put your hope in God. Although there is pain now, Joy will come soon! Soon we will be with Jesus, and we will remember pain no more! As the scripture says "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope." Recall God's grace, recall the gospel, recall the fact that Jesus has rescued you from the penalty of your sin, and is now rescuing you from sin's power. Recall that God has blessed you, God is allowing you breath, see, hear, touch! God is good! God is Great! Recall this brothers, and have hope!
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