DAY ONE:
Lamentations is a book I understand. There are days when “my soul is bereft of peace” and “I have forgotten what happiness is” just as Lamentations 3:17 says. No matter how many good churchy words I hear or say, they do not change the fact that I do not have the energy or the desire to pull myself out of bed.
I know that I have a God of miracles. He has done things in my life that only could be classified as such. I know that He is good…all the time. He blows me away with His goodness. He shows up in ways that I could never imagine. He knocks my socks off with His overwhelming displays of love.
All of that is true, but it is also true that there are days when “my eyes flow with rivers of tears.” (Lamentations 3:48) It feels as if the tears will never stop. I walk through the store as they stream down my face, because I do not have the ability or the will to stop them from coming. The author of Lamentations understood. Verses 49 and 50 of Chapter 3 say, “My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees.”
Depression is real. It feels overwhelming and insurmountable. It is exhausting and it extinguishes your desire to feel better. On those days, I wait. I wait until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees. I “wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord,” because I trust that it is coming. (Lam. 3:26)
People can share their well-meaning words of wisdom and their treasures that are hidden in the Word. I know they are true. I do not doubt they are true, but there are days when the only comfort I find is the hope of 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
God is good all of the time. His Word and His promises are true and He sees us. His steadfast love never ceases. His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is great. Let’s hope in Him. On those days when we cannot focus on “whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable” as Philippians 4:8 suggests, let’s hold onto the fact that His mercies are new every morning.