At times my dad can exhibit a perverse sense of humor.
For example, “They told me to cheer up. Things could be worse. So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.”
It seems there’s much truth in that these days. How can we bear it?
Here’s a tidbit that boosts my morale, and I hope it will do the same for you.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was called the weeping prophet. And with good reason.
He prophesied brutal judgment on Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel, and people wouldn’t listen. They preferred the comforting words from false prophets and priests.
God told Jeremiah it would be that way. More than once He told Jeremiah not to pray for the people.
And the hardships kept coming.
Jeremiah was thrown into prison for preaching God’s message. The people of Judah were captured and forced out of their country by the Babylonians. Jeremiah’s beloved city of Jerusalem was ravaged.
The prophet certainly had plenty to cry about.
In Lamentations 3 Jeremiah blames God for all of the trouble he went through. It’s depressing reading.
But Meditate on what he wrote in Lamentations 3:20-25.
20. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
So, cheer up. Things could be worse.
And if they do indeed get worse–as they very well could–remember that at least we are not consumed or destroyed altogether by the Lord. He could easily do that.
Thankfully, He is faithful. His compassion and mercies are new every morning.
If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus as savior and Lord, all of this is nothing more than an inspirational pep talk.
But there is salvation and hope in Christ. As Jeremiah said, the Lord is good to those who seek Him.
If you do have a relationship with Christ, those words are just as applicable to you.
As James 4:9 affirms, draw near to the Lord, and He will draw near to you. I need the Lord’s nearness now more than ever. How about you?