When You Remember the Hard Times

For most of us, it doesn’t require much effort to remember the hard parts of life.

We don’t have to rack our brains to recall the rejection, the failure, the crisis or loss.

Our painful memories come all too easily to mind. And sometimes they stay there, quietly whispering the lie that our futures will only hold more of the same.

But in moments like these, Lamentations 3:19-23 has a lot to teach us.

Listen to what Jeremiah says:

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 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. (NIV)

The prophet Jeremiah had experienced tremendous suffering in the line of duty: he’d seen his people destroyed. He’d been mocked, imprisoned and subjected to violence. He’d been deprived of peace and prosperity.

And he couldn’t forget those things. He well remembered his affliction, he said.

But even still, Jeremiah didn’t let thoughts about his suffering become the soundtrack to his life.

He intentionally changed His focus. And that changed his outlook.

Notice what he said in those first few verses…

When He remembered his suffering, his soul became “downcast.”

But when He intentionally called to mind the truths of verses 22-23, he found hope.

The word translated “have hope” is the Hebrew word “yachal,” which means to wait with expectation.^[1]

So even though Jeremiah’s suffering may have suggested, “things will never get better,” the higher truths he focused on convinced him otherwise.

They declared he had reason to look forward to tomorrow. The future wasn’t something to dread—it was bright ahead.

That is a pretty powerful perspective shift!

So what exactly were these truths that so transformed Jeremiah’s outlook?

Look at verses 22 & 23 again:

“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.“

The truths that transformed Jeremiah’s outlook weren’t the positive affirmations people try to use today. He didn’t call to mind phrases like, “I am strong and capable” or “The future is mine for the making.”

No. The truths that brought Jeremiah hope—and that can also bring us hope today—are these 2 truths about God:

1. God’s love has brought us this far.

Jeremiah said, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed…”

Lamentations reveals that both Jeremiah and the Israelites suffered intensely, but for two different reasons.

The Israelites suffered because of the consequences of their own sin.
Jeremiah suffered because of his costly obedience to God’s call on his life.

Yet in both cases, God preserved His people through their suffering. Though they suffered, they were not completely destroyed.

And I wonder: how has God done that for you? How has He preserved you through a trial or failure that otherwise would have finished you?

I could tell you a hundred stories of my own, but really, it’s your story you need to call to mind.

So… how has God’s love sustained you and sparkled unexpectedly in the hard times you’ve faced?

These are the memories we need to rehearse. Because the same God who lovingly carried us this far, carries us still.

2. God’s faithfulness will see us through.

Jeremiah said, “…His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Like I said a moment ago, the God who has carried us this far, won’t fail us now.

Because look at His character: Great is His faithfulness and unfailing is His compassion.

And He lavishes all of His goodness on us, His people.

So, no matter what else tomorrow may bring, we can know it will bring us fresh mercy from a faithful God—mercy perfectly suited for the needs of the day.

These are the realities that bring us hope.

When we remember who it is that holds our future, we can start to look forward to it.

The question is, will we remember?

Jeremiah had it right: When we ruminate on our suffering, we become downcast. But when we rehearse the truth of God’s love, compassion and faithfulness, we find hope.

This devotion is based on one of the Scriptures from my reading plan: “God’s Love for Us.” To receive a copy of the reading plan, sign up for the email list below. Hope you’ll follow along!

^[1] https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3176.htm

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