“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3: 22-23
I’ve been pondering this well-known scripture lately. Like a lot of text in the Bible, I’ve often learned the hard way that it isn’t enough to read a scripture. One must not only read it, but re-read it, meditate on it, and hold it tight to one’s heart.
A long time ago, I was out of work for nearly a year, with few job prospects in sight. Looking for help and hope anywhere I could find it, I finally “woke up” (or maybe I should say God woke ME up), and I turned to sacred scripture. Proverbs 3:5-6 and Jeremiah 29:11 were both turning points in my faith journey.
As I wrote in my book Climbing out of Darkness: A Personal Journey into Mental Wellness, I memorized these verses and recited them to myself each day.
“At home, at the grocery store, wherever I was, the more I thought about [these verses] the more I believed [them] and the better I felt.”
When you’ve lost multiple jobs, hopelessness starts setting in. As a result, “future” and “hope” from Jeremiah were particularly comforting. And when you’re not arriving at answers on your own, “lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct your path” from Proverbs sure sounded like a good idea!
This brings me to God’s mercies being new each morning. Many times when we are mired in depression, stuck in grief and loss, or going through any other extreme difficulty in life, it is too easy to overlook this verse. What’s different about today? I’m still out of work. My dog is still gone. The physical pain or mental anguish I am expereincing is still present.
And yet, God provides a new sunrise each day to remind us that every 24-hour period provides an opportunity to “hit reset” and start anew. Many times I have felt dejected, hopeless, even wondering if I’ve learned anything from my Fresh Hope support group – only to wake up the next morning thinking to myself, “What was I so worried about?”
Probably like many of you, faith and a Fresh Hope support network has fostered resilience, and endurance means I’m not stuck in despair for as long as was the case in the past. What once took a day, or more, to push through, maybe takes a morning, if that.
I have been blessed with being in “a good place” of late, but I must remind myself that like Pastor Brad says, feelings are fleeting, and I might add, circumstances will always vary. It’s not a matter of “if” a new problem will surface, but “when.”
It both surprised and encouraged me to learn that the prophet Jeremiah, who is thought to have written Lamentations, wrote these words during a time of despair and suffering for Israel. The text highlights that even in difficult times, God’s faithfulness and compassion remain steadfast.
I put those words in bold as they are central to what we need to focus on – God’s mercy, love, and compassion – and not our problem, whatever it may be. This is easier said than done of course, because who knows what trouble lurks ahead in our life. But it’s crucial to remember that God is always near. “I will never leave you nor foresake you,” – Hebrews 13:5.
This sounds like another verse to memorize, ask God to place in my heart, and draw upon when times get tough beause I know they will.
In closing, rather than dwelling on the misery I may be feeling today, Lamentations is a great reminder that tomorrow marks a NEW DAY and a new beginning. Sometimes that is enough.
Mike Jacquart belongs to a Fresh Hope support group in Wisconsin. A retired magazine editor, Mike enjoys sharing his story of “pushing through” on his book, blog posts, podcasts, and other presentations. For more information, contact him at michaeljacquart56@gmail.com.
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