There are many that felt that they were in a hopeless place in their lives. When our physical bodies and other things that we have placed our trust in begin to fail us, it is easy to get discouraged. Jeremiah, a prophet of God, wrote these words as he witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem at the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar. “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’” (Lam. 3:17-18). There are important lessons that can be learned from this lament.
Jeremiah had lost a nation and had been physically abused during his time as a prophet. When all those things are gone, how did he find hope again? “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” (Lam. 3:21-25). No matter what state our physical bodies are in and no matter what Fox News says about our nation, put your trust in things that will never change. Recall to mind the love and compassion of our Lord.
We live in an entitled society. Demands are made and expected to be fulfilled just because the demand was made. Could that attitude creep into our spiritual lives? Into our prayers? We need to learn to be more penitent. “Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord. We lift up our heart and hands toward God in heaven; we have transgressed and rebelled, You have not pardoned” (Lam. 3:39-42). Jeremiah was writing from a different situation than we find ourselves under. However, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” is a better attitude to have in prayer (Luke 18:13; Psa. 51:17).
Should no request be made? By no means! “Waters flowed over my head; I said, ‘I am cut off!’ I called on Your name, O Lord, out of the lowest pit. You have heard my voice, ‘Do not hide Your ear from my prayer for relief, from my cry for help.’ You drew near when I called on You; You said, ‘Do not fear!’” (Lam. 3:54-57). He heard, He drew near and He said the thing that Jeremiah needed to hear. It is a message that has been stated in every period of man’s history. We need to understand “He is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).
Will there be moments of despair in our lives? Yes, but it does not have to stay that way. Have confidence in those things that won’t change, be penitent and cry out to the Lord.