The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! (Lamentations 3:22-23 NET)
The entire book of Lamentations is an intensely painful outcry about the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. You can see examples here of how people attributed all that happened to the hand of God, and not to the devil. Later in the New Testament, Jesus teaches about the devil’s role in our lives, but when this book was written in 586 BC, Israel saw their defeat and humiliation as part of God’s plan to bring His people back to a pure faith. And though the devil was very much a part of it all, it was still under the control of God to be used ultimately for Israel’s good and for His glory.
Yet even though they knew God had allowed all of this to happen, they didn’t become bitter or hardened towards Him. Instead the best thing happened. They repented of their unfaithfulness, their sinfulness and their love of immorality and idolatry. They learned to believe and hold onto God more than ever before. In the middle of their pain, they remembered that God is loyal, kind and compassionate. He makes all things new every morning, and His faithfulness is abundant.
It is so frustrating when someone who has already seen God’s goodness in their lives becomes spiteful and angry when problems appear. Somehow they think they can “get back at God” for not rescuing them, by throwing a fit and threatening to stop believing in Him. They don’t stop to see that the problem is there for a very good reason, that it will not destroy them if they react well, and if so, it will bless them more than anything. The reaction we all should have when facing attacks of the devil, or even the consequences of our own sinful mistakes, is to remember that every morning God’s love and compassion is made new, if we’ll just accept it. Blaming God for our problems is basically biting the hand that feeds us. It’s not smart, it wastes time, and it keeps us stuck in bitterness.
Whenever you have an opportunity to repent of selfish or ungodly thoughts that you’ve harbored or acted on, do it. And after you repent, remember that His love is fresh and new every morning. You don’t need to live in guilt or shame, because He doesn’t hold grudges and He doesn’t give the silent treatment to those who sincerely turn back to Him. And for those who are serving God the best they can, be a reflection of this love and compassion to the people around you. The more you allow His ways to flow through you, the more you will experience His presence inside of you.
Make this your prayer every morning. Thank Him that because of His compassion, you have a new chance to be blessed and overcome every single day.
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