“I am the man who has seen affliction
under the rod of his wrath;
he has driven and brought me
into darkness without any light;
surely against me he turns his hand
again and again the whole day long.
He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;
he has broken my bones;
he has besieged and enveloped me
with bitterness and tribulation;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead of long ago…
My soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, ‘My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.’
Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.’
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord…
For the Lord will not
cast off forever,
but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not afflict from his heart
or grieve the children of men…
Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?..
Let us… return to the Lord!
Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven
I called on your name, O Lord,
from the depths of the pit…
You have taken up my cause, O Lord;
you have redeemed my life.” Lamentations 3:1-6,17-26,31-33,37-38,40-41,55,58
In the midst of affliction, suffering weighs heavy and prospects are dim. But the prophet was in constant communion with the Lover of his soul, and there he found hope in hopelessness, mercy in misery. No bitterness could outweigh the sweetness of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Though tribulation was great, his God was greater still, and he knew this best in the crushing.
God does not willingly afflict or grieve, but He does purposely show compassion and bring revival. It’s the nurturing of grapes that fosters robust flavor, and the crushing that yields rich wine. Christ Himself was crushed for us, carrying and putting to death our curse, His blood effecting the richest mercy and cleansing. When we are cast down, we can hope in His victory and constant love. (Isaiah 53:4-5; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
When faced with life’s darkness, what comes to mind? Are we expectant for the promise of morning light? When we remember the load of trouble, would we also remember the weightier mercy and care? When we know His goodness, and that He is our sustaining portion, we can hope through the matching goodness of bearing up and waiting. We can lift our hearts and hands because He lifts us from the pit.
Lord, may I ever call to mind Your abundant goodness and grace, by which I hope and give you glory.
As the rain and snow 