Are you finding life a bit of a struggle of late? Feeling down or overwhelmed and a bit frustrated with God? Reading through Jeremiah recently highlighted how tough a life he had and how difficult the task was the God called him too. He didn’t want to speak out, his message was not well received, and he often complained to God about his calling and the difficulty of the task. Yet God was unrelenting in his command for Jeremiah to be his mouthpiece and told him not to marry or have children to add to his burden.
Although at times reading the story it seems really unfair, God did protect Jeremiah physically and he preserved is life both through is preaching and also after the invasion of the Babylonians. God cared for him personally but Jeremiah also had to come to accept and make peace with the fact that God was using him in much bigger story that involved nation’s not just individuals. I am glad Jeremiah was faithful and that we have his writings in the Bible to draw from today. But I am glad I didn’t have to be Jeremiah and I stand from afar and hold him in very high regard as a faithful witness over decades of turmoil and hardship.
Sometimes God calls us or just allows us to go through really tough situations in which we might not be able to make sense of what is happening. Unlike Jeremiah we might not see the bigger picture or see any good out of what is happening to us or those around us. Like Jeremiah we can openly talk to God and even grumble in a “holy respectful” way at such times. But we should also remember that God is on about more than our personal happiness and that his call to us is one of trust and obedience and faithful living as his people.
We can draw hope from Jeremiah’s experience that God will never abandon us nor does go out of his way to make our life hard like some mean schoolyard bully. We have his Holy Spirit in us and Jesus stands before the Father as our advocate who has been “tested” in every way as we have and understands our struggles and weaknesses. So if life is hard, press into God, pour out your heart to him and hold on in faith to him with everything you have. He will see you through.
Grace and Peace - Garry
