Finding God in Despair, part 3
“How could God have allowed this to happen?” Have you ever heard this? Have you ever personally spoken these words? As a minister, I have heard it expressed many times. When personal, it has the potential to create significant despair. And why not? The very idea of this expression indicates a perceived betrayal of the very character of God – at least to some degree. The very time Christians need him most can also be the most difficult to turn to him.
It can be difficult to experience something that causes us to learn that God is not exactly as we believed. In fact, many have walked away from the type of God who could possibly have the power to prevent a given situation, but chose to allow the event to unfold. That is not a God, in their eyes, who is worthy of the worship they once offered him.
I am reminded of the book of Lamentations and encourage you to read it. For the fuller context, I recommend you read the entire book of Jeremiah as well. However, even a casual read through Lamentations illustrates the incredible despair of the author, presumed to be Jeremiah. His despair is twofold. First, how could this happen to the city of Jerusalem? Second, how could God allow me to experience all of this tragedy?
Consider the following poetic words from Lamentations 2.21-22. “In the dust of the streets lie the young and the old; my young women and my young men have fallen by the sword; you have killed them in the day of your anger, slaughtering without pity. You summoned as if to a festival day, my terrors on every side, and on the day of the anger of the Lord, no one escaped or survived; those whom I held and raised my enemy destroyed.”
It is easy to read about Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem as simply a biblical event that happened. However, it was not just an ordinary event. God destroyed Jerusalem. Like every city, it was filled with families and friends. It contained young children that lacked understanding and older adults in the most vulnerable time of life. Many inhabitants were hauled off to live in captivity in a foreign land while others were killed. The city was left to waste.
Even Jeremiah, who knew what would happen, sought understanding and comfort. Consider the inhabitants of Jerusalem: I wonder what they thought as they watched their livelihoods destroyed. We know some believed this couldn’t happen because they were God’s nation and he would protect them like always (see Jeremiah 7.1-8). I cannot begin to imagine how they would have understood these events.
In the midst of his despair, Jeremiah still sought God. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him” (Lamentations 3.21-24). These truths, reflected by Jeremiah, did not change the situation. The heartache did not vanish. The loss was still real. Nonetheless, even in Jeremiah’s despair, he still understood that God’s love never ceases.
I doubt many living through that event fully understood it. I also think it is safe to say that few of us completely understand the situations that create our despair. But even in despair, without knowing why or how long, can we still find God? Are we able to know in our hearts that his mercy has not come to an end? Jeremiah offered an amazing thought in Lamentations 3.25. “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” In despair, Jeremiah waited. In despair, he sought him.
Whether now, or later, will you be able to do the same in your despair? Will you know that the Lord is good despite the appearance of things around you? Will you seek him?