Are you struggling with unanswered prayer? Such as waiting for healing to occur, but the condition worsens; selling your home, but in need of a buyer or searching for a job, but not receiving any call backs.
How do you respond in situations like these where you question what is happening? Do you grumble, sulk, cry, or scream? Maybe you conceal your disappointment and pretend everything is OK. I have reacted in all of these ways.
What Jeremiah Endured
Looking to the Bible, I am reminded of the prophet Jeremiah who faced deep disappointment over the outcome of delivering God’s message. Let’s review his story in the book of Jeremiah to learn how he responded.
Jeremiah warned Judah that judgment was coming for their sin, if they didn’t repent and turn back to God. Sadly, he experienced ridicule, rejection, and persecution for his message. The people refused to heed his warnings, and they continued on in their sin.
Despite the opposition Jeremiah faced, he remained obedient to the Lord and continued to deliver God’s message to the Israelites. Just as Jeremiah proclaimed, judgment came to Judah through the Babylonians who destroyed Jerusalem and deported the people to Babylon.
His story continues in the book of Lamentations, where Jeremiah expresses grief and anguish for his fellow Israelites. Yet, in the midst of all this destruction and turmoil, he pauses to remember God and His faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:21-26 (CSB) states, “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say, ‘The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.”
What We Learn from Jeremiah
In the midst of uncertainty, may we remember the Lord’s faithfulness like Jeremiah did, knowing that He is with us always. Instead of distancing ourselves and questioning God, let’s hold onto His unchanging character and trust His faithfulness. No matter what the circumstances, we can anchor our hope in the Lord.
In addition to remembering His faithfulness, let’s seek after Him and wait for Him to act on our behalf as Jeremiah did. “Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need,” as Hebrews 4:16 (CSB) states.
Express your disappointment, anger and frustration to the Lord. Lay it all before Him. Acknowledge you need His help and His comfort. He will then provide the strength and endurance to press through times of uncertainty, so that you remain steadfast in Him.
We may not understand the why or even what the outcome will be, but we have hope knowing the Lord is in control. He sees us and is with us through it all.
Father, thank You that we can come to You in our time of need and You will provide grace and mercy. Help us to remember Your faithfulness and trust You are with us no matter what. May You be our hope always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Share a struggle you are currently facing or a struggle God helped you through. Comment below.
Additional Scripture References:
Hebrews 6:19a, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.“
Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold on to the confession of hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful.”
Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord; I wait and put my hope in His Word.”
