Lamentations 3:25The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.

Too often in life we equate things that are hard or difficult with things that are bad. Even as I prepared my last post about contentment in waiting, I realized how often we think of waiting as bad simply because it is hard. This week I want to continue the topic of how to deal with the changing seasons of life biblically by addressing the difficulty of accepting change in our lives. First, I want to look at a biblical example of trusting God in the midst of difficult change, and then I want to leave you with two truths about who God is that can help us refocus our hearts and minds when we feel like change is too difficult or not worth it.

Today’s opening verse is from Lamentations 3, which I believe is a great passage for us to reflect on as we think about how to accept the hardness of change. The book of Lamentations is not known for being extremely cheery, and even its author, Jeremiah the prophet, is known as “the weeping prophet.” He was called by God to prophesy, recount, and lament the destruction of Jerusalem because of Israel’s disobedience and lack of faithfulness to the Lord. If anyone had a truly hard or difficult circumstance to work in, it was Jeremiah.

Lamentations was written in the context of Jerusalem being destroyed through the Babylonian invasion. Jeremiah had prophesied about this coming destruction to the Israelite people, to warn them of God’s coming judgment due to their unfaithfulness. Now he is living through it, praying to God in this suffering. You might be thinking, what in the world does Lamentations 3 have to do with the difficulty of change? Well, I can’t imagine a more difficult change to live through than seeing your kingdom and people destroyed. Imagine the pain, the loss, the disbelief, the fear for what future in captivity would be like. Yet throughout this book of mourning, we see Jeremiah choosing to turn and trust the God who was, is, and is to come.

It’s more than a little humbling to compare the things I deem “difficult” or “hard,” to what Jeremiah and the people of Israel lived through. It’s good for me to put personal situations into perspective, but it’s also important for all of us to acknowledge that we’re not alone in dealing with the difficulty of change. It’s good for us to recognize how hard change may feel, as long as we let that remind us of our dependency on God and then turn to Him for His help.

With that in mind, I want us to look at the passage surrounding our introductory verse, following two chapters of destruction, heartbreak, and seeing the wrath of God unfold:

Lamentations 3:22-33 (New Living Translation)The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands.Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last.Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies.For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love.For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

Right here, in the middle of the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah chooses to turn from his crying out and complaint of the tragic change happening around him to praise God by rehearsing truths about who God is. In the middle of a change that seemed too difficult to bear or live through, these words of worship ring out as a clear reminder that if we want to make it through the hard changes in life, we have to keep our eyes on the beauty of God.

I want to end by discussing two truths about God’s character that are evident in Lamentations 3 and throughout Scripture: God’s patience and His grace. I believe these truths can be a huge balm to our soul as we struggle through the seasons of change in our lives.

First, God’s patience—In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah talks about how God’s faithful love never ends, His mercies are new each morning, and He does not abandon us forever. How does this relate to God’s patience? Well, it reminds us that He is always faithful, even to us unfaithful, imperfect sinners. He daily grants us mercy, not pouring out the wrath we all deserve. Even when we may experience seasons of feeling distant from God, He “does not abandon forever.” His faithfulness, mercy, and His constant presence with His people show me clearly how patient He is!

2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

When we’re going through a hard change, we need to remind ourselves of how patient our Lord is towards us. As I think about going into foster care soon, I’m convicted by how easily I become impatient at times, and I know that will be a struggle for me when trying to discipline children in our care. But verses like 2 Peter 3:9 humble me to think on the perfect Father’s patience towards his ever-wandering children. Remembering our God’s patience is a huge help when struggling with our own seasons of change.

Second, God’s grace—Verses 32 and 33 of Lamentation 3 are a beautiful picture of God’s grace. Read them one more time:

Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love.For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow.

How gracious of our God to show us compassion, when we instead deserve His wrath! How precious it is to think of how God’s heart is not to hurt and punish us, but instead to cover us in His grace! God’s unfailing love overflows into the grace He pours out on us each and every day, for those of us who have put our faith in Him. When change seems impossible for me to get through, I must stop and remember that His grace is enough:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

His grace is sufficient. Period. We can run to His throne and ask for help in our time of need, and we will receive His grace (Hebrews 4:16). When facing difficult change, like losing a job or moving states, we can confidently turn to the one whose grace is enough.

My prayer is that these two amazing characteristics of our God, His patience and grace, give you hope this week in whatever change you might be going through or are about to face. Change is hard, but that doesn’t mean we need to view it as bad. Looking to our Savior reminds us that He promises to work all things for His glory and our good.

In my next post I plan to cover more truths about who God is to help in dealing with the grief or loss of past seasons—when we can’t go back to “the way it was” or “the good ol’ days.” Until then, I pray you will keep on searching God’s Word for comfort. When you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances, go back to Lamentations 3. Remember that our God is the same today as He was in Jeremiah’s day, and His faithful love continues to endure.

Thank you for reading or listening to Speaking Truth, and I can’t wait to dig more into God’s Word with you next time.

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