Lamentations 3:19-39 – Lessons from sufferings

There are definitely two things that suffering and tribulations can do to us. They can either embitter us or drive us to take a deeper look, see the reason for the suffering, understand the purpose of God, know His character and praise His faithfulness, despite the suffering. Lamentations 3:19-39, show us that Jeremiah took the second path. He pondered over his afflictions and restlessness. No doubt they had brought much bitterness and misery and he was deeply humbled. And in his reflection, he recalled the depth of God’s many loving-kindnesses and his hope in Him was stirred up. With a burst of renewed hope, he looked upward to God. He saw hope. He saw God and how great His faithfulness truly was. The faithfulness of God is inexplicable. Our loving God is far too loving to leave us decaying in sin and rebelliousness. Hardships are often His way to cause us to pause and recalibrate. It takes a receptive person to come to this realization and Jeremiah was such a person.   

Come to think of it, for him to survive all the hardship he had narrated in verses 1-18 was no coincidence. The fact that he could withstand those harshest of conditions is evidence of God’s never-ending mercies. God’s faithfulness is so unfathomable that it’s hard for words to adequately describe it. Much as he had to endure all the relentless sorrow, anguish and grief, he could not forget the goodness of God. So instead of fretting, he just rested in His goodness. Inexplicably, a sense of confidence arose from deep within him. And hope in God was renewed and he turned and waited on Him. This is by way of saying that he placed his absolute trust in Him. He was assured that everyone who turned to seek and trust God would experience His goodness. The intention of God, as we have discovered, has never been to destroy us, but to drive us to Him. He wants to spare us from destroying ourselves. So, our hardships are often designed to cause us to pause before we destroy ourselves.

From Jeremiah’s reflection on God, he offers us some truths on suffering and hardship and choices. In verse 26 we can see trials have a way of creating the avenue for the deliverance of God. In verses 27-30, we learn that it is beneficial for us, especially when we are young, to endure discipline without murmuring or complaining. Just wait upon God and trust Him. Verses 31-33 tell us that God allows suffering which always comes with a purpose and is restrained. God takes no delight in seeing us hurt but He takes great delight in seeing our progress. When He comes through to us in our affliction, we will see and experience His comfort and compassion. In verses 34-36, God’s chastening is always just, determined, resolute, and focused. He does not approve of atrocities, injustice or inequalities. Verses 37-39 tell us nothing happens in our world without God’s permission. He had made us mankind with the capacity to make our own decision. We are even given the freedom to choose the path of disobedience that would definitely lead to punishment. Hence, no one can find an excuse and complain that he is being punished for the sinful path he or she chooses.