Finding God’s Love In The Yet

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33 NIV  

I’m a member of two completely different Facebook groups—one for decluttering and the other for recycling/repurposing. Am I conflicted? Maybe just a little. LOL. I’d like to think I’m using two different skillsets, kind of like the mudskipper fish who, of course, swims but also walks on land. 

But what about the serious, often gut-wrenching, conflicts of life?

 

We find ourselves wondering what God has in mind when those happen. How can we experience such overwhelming grief, like I’ve felt since losing my daughter, and at the same time embrace the idea that God’s love is unfailing? After all, if he loves us, why the grief or affliction to begin with?

 

The broad answer goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. They had the perfect life and still weren’t satisfied. God did not want them to sin and fall out of fellowship with him. And when they did, he didn’t cast them off. But he did allow them and the generations since to feel the brokenness of fallen humanity.

 

Our individual whys are often so complex that we may not get an answer this side of heaven, nor would we understand if God tried to explain. And it's likely we wouldn't agree. 

 

So where is our hope?

 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him… Lamentations 3:21-25

 

Jeremiah spent the majority of Lamentations describing what had gone wrong for Jerusalem and him personally. His overwhelming grief and despair cry from the pages. You can feel the agony in his words almost as vividly as your own painful circumstances.

 

Then Jeremiah turned to his “yet” moment. It’s almost as if he couldn’t continue one minute longer in his despair without reminding himself of God’s faithfulness.

 

When you are tempted to give in to the notion that God is not for you and he doesn’t really care, or the pain seems too great to bear one minute longer, dig into your heart and your past to the times God showed up—your “yet” moments.

God wants to hear our laments but also experience his unfailing love, even in the midst of difficulties. Seek his wisdom through prayer and studying the Scriptures to remind yourself of his faithfulness. Whatever your trial, know that God is right there with you, holding you up, and will never leave your side.

Blessings,

Laura

© Laura Hodges Poole

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.