Lessons from the Grief of Jeremiah
Colette Fabry, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
Have you ever wondered, “How will I survive this grief?”
Grief means “heartbreak caused by loss.” It feels like sinking into a dark, hopeless place. Different situations cause suffering, but all cause feelings of helplessness and varying degrees of sorrow.
I wonder if Jeremiah asked himself how he would survive his grief as he lay abandoned and alone in a dungeon. For many years, he was God's faithful prophet. Then, he was unfairly held captive by the princes of Judah, who wanted to silence him. Their father, King Zedekiah, permitted them to throw Jeremiah into a deep dungeon.
Jeremiah, whose name means “exalted by Jehovah,” must have felt anything but exalted! For years, he preached that those who bring trouble upon the innocent will ultimately bring trouble upon themselves. He prophesied that those who disobey God would face trouble, shame, and confusion. Yet here, Jeremiah was innocent but facing trouble, shame, and confusion.
In Lamentations 3, we gain insight into Jeremiah's thoughts. He uses grief-stricken words like “darkness”, “broken”, and “distress”.
I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day. My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones. He hath builded against me and compassed me with gall and travail. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
Lamentations 3:1-6
Halfway through the chapter, Jeremiah's words changed from anguish to praise. His dire circumstances didn’t warrant this change. But in the middle of his grief, Jeremiah remembers and speaks the truth even though the words felt anything but true.
He said:
The Lord's compassions never fail and his mercies are new every morning. Great is God's faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, and therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him and who seek Him. Salvation comes from Him.
Lamentations 3:22-25
While Jeremiah exalted God in his grief, God was supernaturally working to lift him from despair. God provided his salvation through a servant who successfully pleaded with the king for Jeremiah's deliverance. This servant and thirty men rescued him from the dungeon.
God responded to Jeremiah's praise, making his faith-filled words a reality. God showed unfailing compassion, demonstrated His great faithfulness, and became Jeremiah’s portion. Jeremiah experienced the impact of placing his hope in God.
This account of Jeremiah’s life reveals that God is a Deliverer, Restorer, Redeemer, and Judge. Before his grief, Jeremiah understood these attributes of God intellectually. However, through his suffering, he came to know God experientially as each of these. The end of Jeremiah’s life was full of freedom and peace.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Many things have changed since Jeremiah's days, but some things never change like God's faithfulness to those who are faithful to Him, and His promises that He will “turn mourning into dancing,” “be near to the brokenhearted,” and “give garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”
If you are asking, “How will I survive this grief?” Jeremiah encourages you to:
Lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Lamentations 3:41
Focus on God's promises, for He cannot lie. Write them out and speak them loudly! He was faithful to Jeremiah, and He will be faithful to you! And just as He survived His grief, you will, too.
PRAYER
Father, please help those who are in a dark place today. Help them to see You, to be certain of Your presence, and to experientially know You by the many beautiful names that You are called by. Bring them to a place of healing as You work to deepen the faith of those who are hurting today.
