Lamentations 3

Lamentations 3

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when i cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone,  he hath made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. he hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord.

(These feelings that are being described here, are ones that are easy to feel. I have struggled with feeling these feelings. Feeling as though God isn't there...feeling as though God is causing all this affliction to come upon me. Feeling as though He isn't hearing me when I cry out to Him. But lets continue reading...)

verse 21: This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth...for the Lord will not cast off forever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men...Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?...Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with out hands unto God in the heavens...I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, fear not. O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou has redeemed my life. O Lord, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.


(Here...even though we don't feel God near, and we feel as if He is hurting us, we must remember, and recall to our minds, this hope;  That the Lord is merciful. And that He is not wanting us to hurt. But He is wanting us to grow. And often growth hurts. We should not complain when we are justly punished for our sins. But we must have a change of heart, and turn to the path of righteousness. God is there...and will be there whenever we call. And He is just, merciful, and ready to freely forgive.)