5 Promises for Your Laments

by Annie Yorty

The book of Lamentations doesn’t usually make it to the Top Ten Most Read Books of the Bible. Let’s face it, lamenting sounds . . . depressing. Wouldn’t you rather have promises for your laments?

Scholars believe Jeremiah wrote the short book of Lamentations. To me, it seems like a personal journal he kept alongside the messages God gave him for wayward people. We find those messages in the book named after him.

Our Laments

As God’s prophet with an unpopular message, Jeremiah experienced intense persecution. In Lamentations chapter three, he detailed the horrors.

They include:

• Perpetual physical darkness
• Beatings and imprisonment
• Health problems
• Heavy emotional burdens
• Gargantuan tasks
• Target for destruction
• Butt of mocking
• Bitterness
• Fear
• Lack of peace
• Unhappiness
• Perceived silence from God

Jeremiah concluded this section of the chapter with this cry: “Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost” (Lamentations 3:18b NLT)!

Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced any of Jeremiah’s struggles. To some extent, these problems seem to be common to all people.

Hope Found in Despair

After he poured out his heart, Jeremiah’s memory kicked in.

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this:” (Lamentations 3:20-21 NLT)

What promises did Jeremiah remember that we can apply to our laments in life?

5 Promises for Your Laments

Promise #1

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (3:22-23 NLT)

Our circumstances change from year to year. Our feelings yo-yo, often depending on what’s going on in life. We, ourselves, change. But God never changes. His faithful love—love that provokes compassion and action—remains constant. That love ushers God’s mercy into every soul-wearying event.

God’s mercy never grows stale. Each day brings a fresh supply tailored to your specific need.

In your unfathomable predicament, what mercy did God supply this morning?

God's love ushers His mercy into every soul-wearying event. #lamentations #godspromises Share on X

Promise #2

The Lord is my portion . . . therefore I have hope in Him. (3:24 NASB)

By the time Jeremiah wrote these words, he had no earthly possessions and no place of belonging—no portion. Yet He knew he always had an interest with God. Nothing can steal the portion God gives to us. We are never destitute with Him.

What loss are you mourning without recognizing your eternal portion with God?

Promise #3

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

You may recall from my list of Jeremiah’s woes he thought his prayers to God went unanswered. Later, though, he asserted in this statement God always responds to those who search for Him. God’s response is always bringing good to those who seek Him.

Have you sought God with the expectation of His good in your hopelessness?

Promise #4

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. (3:31-32 NLT)

Jeremiah felt abandoned and alone. God had allowed grief into his life to give His message more power. The grief Jeremiah endured taught him to imitate Christ’s love and compassion for lost people. Though he felt intensely alone, Jeremiah knew God’s unfailing love never left him.

What grief has God allowed in your life that He will use to love others?

Promise #5

If they twist justice in the courts—doesn’t the Lord see all these things? (3:36 NLT)

Jeremiah saw his share of injustice. The strong in his society habitually cheated and oppressed the weak. Jeremiah himself was a target of unfair judgment and punishment. He had not seen any earthly justice when he wrote this rhetorical question. The answer is obvious. Yes, God sees all these things and will bring justice.

What wrong in your life will you trust God to right in His perfect timing?

Ultimate Hope

In the middle of his message of judgment to God’s rebellious people, Jeremiah delivered a promise of hope.

“There is hope for your future,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:17a NLT)

Today is just a blip on the timeline of eternity. If you, like Jeremiah, belong to God, remember and apply these five promises to your laments. Your future with God is secure.

Join the conversation:

How is the Lord showing His kindness to you amid your trials? If you would like prayer, please contact me. Lifting you to the Father would be my privilege.

I welcome your comments!

Copyright ©2023 Annie Yorty

From Ignorance to Bliss

What do you do when life comes at you sideways? From Ignorance to Bliss demonstrates how God uses the unexpected in life to grow and change those who are willing.

Readers receive inspiration and hope through a transparent dive into real life with Alyssa, who has Down syndrome. Annie offers stories of God’s faithfulness from before diagnosis and birth through adulthood.

Filled with humor, poignance, and practical insights, topics include expectations, education, stress, medical issues, recreation, work, siblings and friends, rejection and disappointment, and triumphs and joy.