When a big loss hits someone’s life, they feel compelled to tell the story. Jeremiah’s lamentations began with the story of how Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by fire. He was wracked with sorrow; he wanted people to listen to him.

The next step in coming to terms with his great loss was identifying why it happened. Babylon was the nation that attacked Judah and destroyed Jerusalem, but Jeremiah’s thoughts turned to God. In Lamentations 2:1-9 there are twenty-six mentions of God’s actions against Judah, and none about Babylon.

Why did Jerusalem fall? Because God brought it down.

But Jeremiah Didn’t Blame God

In a matter of months Judah and the city of Jerusalem were overrun by Nebuchadnezzar’s army and destroyed by fire. The Israelite people either were carried into exile or lived in poverty in the land. It was breathtaking to see how swiftly it all came to pass.

Jeremiah was shattered as he watched his people descend into starvation and thirst. Babies and little children cried in the streets for the food and water their families couldn’t supply. Their precious lives ebbed away as they lay in their mother’s arms.

Jeremiah grieved over false prophets who lied to the Israelites, telling them their sins didn’t matter, and that God was still on their side. He was heart broken that his people didn’t believe him when he warned them about the consequences of their sins.

But Jeremiah didn’t blame God for Israel’s folly and destruction. He knew God was right in all he did, and that he had waited a very long time for Israel to repent before he carried out the plan he outlined for them.

“The Lord has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. He has overthrown you without pity, he has let the enemy gloat over you, he has exalted the horn of your foes.” Lamentations 2:17

It all happened just as God said it would and Israel had only themselves to blame.

Jeremiah Still Hoped in God

Jeremiah had a way to go before he could recover from all he had seen.

“I am a man who has seen affliction by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.” Lamentations 3:1

He felt terrible about what he saw happen to Judah. He was isolated, sick and weighed down by it all. It seemed to him that God had dragged him into this tragedy and left him helpless. His heart was pierced with pain, his mind was filled with bitterness and his soul was cast down (Lamentations 3:1-16)

“I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. So I say, ‘My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord.’” Lamentations 3:17-18

Yet, as often happens when someone grieves deeply, a fresh, hopeful thought eventually came to Jeremiah’s mind. Despite widespread destruction, God had not changed and there were still some people living in Judah. All was not lost.

“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.’” Lamentations 3:21-24

Jeremiah had a lifetime of experience with God by now. He was very young when he was called to be a prophet and he had persevered in his calling despite great trials and tribulations. Looking back he noticed there were benefits that came from waiting for the Lord.

The Lord Was Good to Jeremiah

“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. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.” Lamentations 3:25-27

It’s comforting to know that the Lord is good to people who wait for him, but how does it play out in real life? The fact that something is good doesn’t necessarily make it easy.

“Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust – there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to the one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace.” Lamentations 3:28-30

Learning to be humble and hopeful when people mistreated him was perhaps the hardest lesson Jeremiah learned. But sitting in silence before the Lord gave him the strength he needed to pull through. Trusting God was the basis of his hope.

“For no one is 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 anyone.” Lamentations 3:31-33

It was useless for Jeremiah to struggle against God’s will for his life anyway.

“Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” Lamentations 3:37-38

The Only Way to Respond to God

Knowing that God was always right and just – and that there was nothing Jeremiah could do to change his will – there was only one thing left to do:

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: ‘We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven.’” Lamentations 3:40-42

We often believe we don’t deserve to suffer and that we are blameless when something bad happens. But there are temptations to sin in every situation. We may fall into anger, resentment, jealousy, and rebellion against God’s will for us. Letting the Lord gently bring to mind where we have fallen into error leads to confession and repentance that sets the heart free.

And God welcomes us, no matter what kind of condition we are in. He always helps — and everything gets better when we pray.

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.’ You came near when I called you and you said, ‘Do not fear.’ You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.’” Lamentations 3:55-58

Making Spiritual Progress in Hard Times

We may feel paralyzed when tragedy strikes. It’s a struggle to come to terms with what has happened, why it happened and what’s left behind for us to deal with in the aftermath.

Finding our way back to the Lord may not be easy. We sit down in front of him and process for a while; then we wait for an answer. It takes time for God to speak and when the answer comes it might not be what we expected.

We have to examine the contents of our own hearts because stress brings out the worst in us. Sin emerges and we have to repent. The Lord refines us and then he shows us his will. It all takes time — right when we are feeling most urgent and needy — but the Lord knows that sitting in silence and taking time with him are great opportunities to grow.

Jeremiah is a great role model for how to grow through suffering, but all suffering comes to an end, and tomorrow we will reach the end of Lamentations.

Then we’ll go with Israel into the years of living in exile and waiting to come back home to Judah. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel are going to teach us more about the Lord and how he accomplishes his will in the world.