From Wormwood to Hope
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.
Lamentations 3:19-20
Struggling saint, how often might these words resonate in your soul? Perhaps you say, “Remember my affliction? Would that I could remember anything but! I have walked so long in darkness and travail that all I see is restless sorrow.” But we must not remain in our sorrow. Instead, follow the example given in Lamentations:
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.”
Lamentations 3:21-24
Here is the answer for your sorrow: remember the steadfast love of the Lord. His mercies are never ending, his faithfulness is great. We are a kingdom of priests and just like the Levites in Numbers 18:20, the Lord himself is our portion.
We have hope because our Savior does not come in the form of government or money or any other worldly power. We have hope because no enemy can prevail against our God. We rejoice because God himself has wrapped his arms around us and he has promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Christian, wait on the Lord. For 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 – Lamentations 3:25-26.
Your trials, though they seem so severe, are displaying the Lord’s glory when you show that he is more precious to you than comfort. Like Jesus, you do not open your mouth to complain of your trial (Isaiah 53:7) but you trust in the will of the Lord, knowing that at the right time he will deliver you. Through all of this, a watching world sees you lean on a strength not your own and when all others would curse God and die, they see that you instead trust God and live for him. This is how we move from wormwood to hope.
Thank you for this, it ministered to me greatly! Lamentations 3:21-24 is going to be my new memory verse. God bless
Does God really care about the insignificant of this world?
I have turned to the Psalms for answers only to find that the writers experienced the same thing!
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
Psalms 77:2-9 (KJV)
It is easy to say ‘have faith in God’ after the mountain, but when you are struggling up the mountain it is not what we want to hear. We need a helping hand!
I must agree with Jason. These words were rich with comfort. What a wonderful transition from the desperation of Lam 3:19-20 to the great hope of Lam 3:21-24, then to the patience of 3:25-26. You have just given me new verses to memorize and meditate on. Thank you.
Chris, I wish I had found your blog earlier! What great articles. This site will be a daily read for me, along with the wonderful Word of the Lord.
You make a good point that no matter how sever the problems may seem, they are displaying the Lord’s Glory, and isn’t that what we are to be seeking? Makes my heart feel so good to know that truth.
Keep up Chris, may God Bless you work.