Before we rush into "what's next," maybe we take a moment to sit with what God wants to share with us now?
On Sunday we heard that the beautiful profession of faith from Lamentations 3:19–33, specifically that "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness," are spoken, not when all is right with the world and great things are happening. Quite the opposite, really. The speaker's world has fallen apart. His home has been destroyed and he's been carried off with the rest of his people into exile, captive to a foreign power. Lost forever are the dreams he held for his future, the splendor of his past.
This is the context for his profession of faith. His eyes do not currently see God's faithfulness, but that doesn't stop him from remembering and declaring that God's unchanging character is a worthy seedbed for hope. With that in mind, reflect on these questions in your journal or with a friend.
Has there ever been a circumstance in your life that challenged the notion of God's goodness or His steadfast love? Why is it so difficult to proclaim God's goodness during those times?
What difference might it make if we insist on declaring the character and faithfulness of God in the dark and difficult parts of our lives?
How would you describe real hope? How is that different from false expressions of hope provided by escapism, numbing, ignoring, or resisting?
What is one way you can practice real, enduring, life-giving hope this week? What does God want to give you, want you to receive?
May we be a hope-filled people who trust in God's unchanging, steadfast love, even when counter-testimonies to such hope proliferate our world. Let us take our eyes off ourselves and our own circumstances and place them on the One worthy of our trust and hope.
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