There are seasons in life when it seems as though everything has gone wrong. Jeremiah knew that kind of suffering. In Lamentations 3, he describes his anguish with remarkable honesty. He speaks of affliction, darkness, loneliness, and feeling as though God Himself had turned against him. His circumstances were overwhelming, and his words reflect the deep sorrow he carried.
Yet something changes in verse 21: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.” Jeremiah deliberately turns his thoughts from his circumstances to the character of God. His situation had not changed, but his perspective did.
He remembers that “it is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Jeremiah does not deny his pain. He simply refuses to let his pain become the final word.
What a wonderful truth this is for us! God's mercies are not exhausted by yesterday's failures, today's difficulties, or tomorrow's uncertainties. Every morning brings fresh evidence of His compassion. We may wake up with the same problems, but we do not wake up without God's mercy. His faithfulness does not depend upon our circumstances. He remains faithful when life is pleasant, and He remains faithful when life is painful.
Perhaps you are facing a difficult season today. You may feel discouraged, confused, or even overwhelmed by what God has allowed into your life. Lamentations 3 reminds us that we can honestly bring those feelings before God—but we must also bring our minds back to the truth of who He is. When circumstances give us little reason for hope, God's character gives us every reason to hope.
So, like Jeremiah, “recall” these truths to your mind: God's mercies have not run out. His compassions have not failed. His faithfulness has not diminished. And when tomorrow morning comes, there will be new mercies waiting for you.
“Great is thy faithfulness.” Those words are not merely a song to sing when life is going well. They are a truth to cling to when life is difficult. Whatever today may bring, our faithful God will be there.
