Decisions In The Midst Of Difficulty

In the book that bears his name, the prophet Jeremiah warns the people of God to repent of their sin. He pleads with them to forsake their idols and turn back to Jehovah. For years he speaks the word of the Lord, and yet they do not listen. Jeremiah warns them over and over again that if they do not repent, they will go into captivity. Many learned to ignore him; others despised him; but none listened. Then the day finally came. The Babylonians came in, rounded up the people, and carted them off to a foreign land. Buildings were burned to the ground. Many were ruthlessly killed. As a heartbroken Jeremiah watched it all firsthand, he penned the book of Lamentations. If Jeremiah is the book of warning, then Lamentations is the book of mourning.

How would you feel? Just imagine that for years you had warned your people of impending doom, and they refused to listen, only to go into captivity that could have been avoided. The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah’s incredible grief over the captivity of his people. He doesn’t hold back. He shares his feelings. His brokenness, his pain, his anguish, his utter remorse, his deep sorrow.

But in the midst of the saddest book in all the Bible…there is hope. This hope is found in the middle of Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 22-26. Amidst his sorrow, Jeremiah pauses to reflect on God. God has not done anything wrong. He has brought judgment on His rebellious people. Through the tears, Jeremiah is able to write down not one, but five amazing characteristics of God.

Perhaps you’re facing something similar: a hopeless situation, a deep sorrow, an insurmountable obstacle, an incredible difficulty. If that’s the case, this message is for you.

5 Immutable Characteristics of God:

MERCY (v. 22a, 23a)

Jeremiah recognizes that even though his people were going into captivity, God could have wiped them out completely. God was being merciful. Not only that, but Jeremiah recognized that God is merciful to us every day. His mercies are new every morning.

Psalm 103:8, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Joel 2:13, “And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”

Mercy is not getting what we deserve, and the truth is, we don’t deserve anything good from the Lord, and yet He blesses us abundantly. In the midst of difficulty, remember that God is merciful.

COMPASSION (v. 22b)

God’s mercy dovetails with His compassion. God’s compassion feeds His mercy. After all, that’s exactly what compassion should do—it should cause you to be merciful.

Psalm 78:38, “But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.”

Micah 7:19, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

Matthew 9:36, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

In the midst of difficulty, remember that God is compassionate.

FAITHFULNESS (v. 23b)

God’s faithfulness means that He will not let you down. This also feeds into the others. God is faithful to be merciful. He is faithful to be compassionate. Even when difficulties arise, God is faithful to give needed grace. He will never let you down.

Deuteronomy 7:9, “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”

I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

In the midst of difficulty, remember that God is faithful.

HOPE (v. 24)

The Lord is my portion (inheritance). We don’t belong in this world. Our home is in heaven. We have a heavenly inheritance.

Hope is expectation. God is our hope. God and hope go together so many times in the Bible.

Psalm 39:7, “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.”

Psalm 147:11, “The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”

Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”

Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”