10-16-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Suffering comes in many forms. Sometimes in the form of illness; cancer, heart trouble, or a variety of other illness. Perhaps it is in the form of mental illness; anxiety, panic attacks, addictions, or in the form of spiritual attack by the evil one with his demons. It may occur in battle, bullying, assault, even murder.
The prophet Jeremiah suffered at the hands of hostile, religious people. One may read in Jeremiah 38 how he is thrown into a miry pit by his enemies for speaking the truth. It is in this context that the following words are pinned:
He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
my soul is bereft of peace;
I suspect at times many of us have known these feeling and the desperation which smother and rips apart the soul. Jeremiah goes on to say:
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the LORD.”
Yet, even in the midst of such suffering the next words ought to ring in our hearts
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.”
It is this idea of hope which must permeate our very soul. Hope in the Lord and His goodness. It is this hope which neutralizes the depression, the anger, fear, which so easily besets us.
If we do this, if we acknowledge the Lord’s goodness then in the words of the prophet:
The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Lamentations 3 (ESV)
Few scriptures so eloquently encourage the down trodden and bring peace to the soul.
Christian Family Services Ministry 
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