Dare To Hope

I will never forget this awful time,

as I grieve over my loss.

Yet I still dare to hope

when I remember this:

The faithful love of the LORD never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in him!” Lamentations 3:20-24

IT IS WONDERFUL that the Bible includes Lamentations —this book of divinely inspired lament over unbearable suffering and lost hope. It assures us that God does not expect a stoic response from his people, as if the hurts inflicted on us have no effect, as if somehow we are immune from feeling loss deeply and desperately. But the beauty of Lamentations is that it is not simply a venting of despair. By crying out to God, the writer of Lamentations seeks to gain perspective on his suffering. And clearly that’s what happens.

It seems the mere mention of the divine name (verse 22) gets him thinking about the perfections of God —his faithful love that never ends, his mercies that never cease. So instead of continuing to listen to his despairing thoughts, he begins to talk back to himself. It’s as if he says, Self, everything you need, you have forever, so turn away from your despair and take hold of hope in God!

It’s good to know that our heavenly Father does not shush the laments of his children. Neither should we discount the laments over the very real losses our kids experience. Instead, we can encourage them to turn toward God with their sorrows rather than turn away from him.

Lord, when the sorrow of this life overwhelms ________, may ________ turn to you to pour out lament and gain perspective rather than turning away from you and becoming bitter. Fill ________ with the hope that only comes from the promise of your faithful love —your abundant mercy now and the inheritance that is to come.