The Way out of Despairby Dale Harcombe | More from this Blogger 03 Nov 2009 02:08 PM Lamentations is not exactly the book you expect to find hope and encouragement. Its very name implies otherwise and yet there are some great verses filled with hope and joy. The writer of Lamentations is not identified, though many believe it was Jeremiah. If you read Jeremiah and all that happened to him and read Lamentations with that in mind, it's more than likely. The writer of Lamentations was doing it hard. He felt he had been given suffering and affliction by God, Lamentations 3:1. He felt completely in the dark, Lamentations 3:2. In his view God had repeatedly turned against him, verse 3. He felt a prisoner with body ailments and emotional hardship as well, verses 4-5. His way is blocked. He is a prisoner. On and on his list of complaints goes through to verse 18 when he declares 'my strength had perished and so has my hope from the Lord.' Have you ever felt like that? I have and only recently too. There were a couple of instances in the last couple of weeks where my hope had been completely dashed. As I read those verses I could associate with the writer of Lamentations. But the writer's outlook undergoes a change. He calls to mind something that brings about a change in his attitude. He finds a slender thread of hope to hold onto and he holds on - tightly, verse 21. He turns his attention away from his own problems to think about God and God's character. He remembers 'The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning,' verse 22-23 and so he can proclaim 'Great is Thy faithfulness,' verse 23. He remembers the steadfastness of God and how He is good to those who wait for Him and who seek him. That's the key here. The writer has turned has attention away from his own problems and instead turned his thoughts to the character of God. He has gone from the depths of despair to praise, as he reminds himself of all he has in God and of God's goodness to him. God determines all that happens and He has a purpose, verse 37. By this time not only the writer of Lamentations but my attitude had changed as I read these words. Why not take time now to read Lamentations 3:1-38 and then offer your own praise in prayer or through song? These same verses have inspired one of our lovely hymns, 'Great is Thy Faithfulness.' Bible verses from the New American Standard Version Related blogs Is It Okay to Be Angry with God? Learn more about Dale Harcombe  Dale has a passion for books and writing. She writes in various forms, from articles to poetry to fiction for children and adults. Relevantchristian tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags God's faithfulness, hope, Jeremiah, Lamentations, the way out of despair Discuss this article
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