Yet This I Call To Mind

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.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.

(Lamentations 3:19-26, 31–33, NIV 1984).

My Musings – What do you call to mind?  The “bitterness and gall?”  Days when you were “downcast” and feeling “cast off?”  Periods of “affliction or grief?”  It’s sometimes hard to not let those thoughts overwhelm us.  But isn’t it marvelous that wrapped in the middle of a book of laments (a passionate expression of grief or sorrow) we read things like “because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail,” and “great is [His] faithfulness.”  In the midst of whatever storm you happen to going through, “wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”  You will not be “cast off by the Lord forever.”  Whatever it is,  know that He “does not willingly bring affliction or grief” to His children.  He will once again “show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.”  In fact, we can rest assured that whatever “affliction or grief” He has brought (or allowed), will in the long run “work together for the good” (Romans 8:28), if… 

My Advice – With this called to mind, we can hope.  We can “take heart” and overcome, because He overcame.  His grace is abundantly sufficient.  This is an area where I feel more confident than others in giving my advice (see my “Our Family Album” blogs).

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

— Irving Berlin

Guess we have a lot to be thankful for after all.  Thank you Lord!

Author: thebrewisamusing

I was raised in a Christian family and my earliest childhood memories include regular Sunday school and Church attendance as a family. I was taught that our Judeo-Christian values were not just a part of our Sunday routine they should be part of our character and influence all aspects of our lives. I was also taught that as important as these values were they could not save us. We must also be “born again” by accepting Christ. View all posts by thebrewisamusing