HOPE

I titled this blog hope because this morning in my Bible reading, I read Lamentations 3. Today, I am filing for a divorce. I don't think I have struggled more with a single decision more in life, ever. There are so many mixed emotions. The strongest one being grief and mourning over the death of my marriage of almost 18 years.

In my Life Recovery bible the commentary says: Lamentations 3:1-26.

Perhaps we are brokenhearted because of all the bitter suffering in our family. Maybe our once-good reputation has been ruined and now we are ashamed. Our life has been taken captive and destroyed before the watchful eyes of friends and foes alike.

Jeremiah watched this happen to his beloved nation, Israel. It's no wonder he is known as the weeping prophet. The people of God refused to listen to Jeremiah's warnings, and they were taken captive by a heathen nation as a result. Lamentations is a record of Jeremiah's lament over the shameful fate of God's people. He wept, " Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, ' My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!' The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to HOPE when I remember this:

The unfailing love of the Lord never ends!! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness, his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, ' The Lord is my inheritance, therefore, I will hope in him!'
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord.

Turning our life over to God includes giving him our pain and suffering. In our times of grief and shame we can hope, knowing that God will help us overcome the problems we face. God is strong enough to lift our burdens and loving enough to mend our broken hearts.

So, as you can see, God knew exactly what I needed to hear today. He is soooooo good!! I love the fact that HIS love never ends for us. His mercy will give us hope for each day!

Kept by His Mercy today,

Dee Ann