Together in Christ: 'Even in My Grief, His Love Is Faithful' — Lamentations 3:20-24

Most of us will go through times of profound grief and loss in our lives. Pain is part of our reality as mortal beings in a world subject to decay and death. ^[1] Two questions often arise that each of us must answer as we deal with our pain, grief, and loss:

1. To whom will I turn for strength, encouragement, and hope in my times of loss, sorrow, anger, disappointment, and despair?
2. After God has sustained and restored me, what will I do to bless others based on my experiences with sorrow, anger, disappointment, and despair?

After the prophesied devastation of Jerusalem had occurred, along with the loss of so many lives of both people and animals, ^[2] the book of Lamentations invited people to remember that God's love is faithful and never-ending. We can turn to Him in our brokenness. This assurance means even more to followers of Jesus. Because of Jesus' intercession, we know that God hears us, loves us, and will respond to us with grace, mercy, and strength. ^[3] His faithful love and generous mercies never cease — they are as new and fresh as each new dawn. People may fail us and turn away from us — just as they did with Jesus ^[4] — but God remains faithful. We can turn to Him and place our hope in Him. The severity of the outward circumstances must not be allowed to erase our recognition of God's abiding love that He has proved to us throughout the history of His dealings with His people. He is working for our ultimate good because we love Him, seek Him, and commit to living for His purpose. ^[5]

We shouldn't waste the survival of our struggles with pain, sorrow, loss, and despair. We should walk beside our friends as they go through trials. We can show up and be with them. We can sit with them as we pray silently for them. We can serve them and be the living reminder of God's faithfulness that sustained us through our agonies. We can share their grief rather than offering trite platitudes or blaming them for their problems. ^[6] Our pain can be the qualifying grace to help others through their pain! Paul put it this way when he wrote to the Corinthians:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. ^[7].

Let's choose to seek God in our grief and pain, and let's walk beside others as a friend, servant, and strengthening partner for our brothers and sisters in their grief and pain.