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 3:22-24 (ESV)
Originally posted 8/28/09
Some weeks are just tougher than others. This was one filled with both emotional and physical challenges. The memorial service for the husband of one of the employees at our club brought tears as I listened to the grief caused by suicide. A trip to the hospital to change out the battery for Mark’s ICD reminded me of the many hours sitting and waiting for the doctor’s “all clear.” The long-awaited appointment for a shot in my hip in an attempt to relieve lingering pain occurred two days later. During these days and nights, the emotional upheaval of it all nagged at my spirit, which seems to happen when life appears out of control.
I’m sure Jeremiah wearied of the unending rant of Jerusalem’s destruction in those days of the Babylonian exile. God was not happy with those folks and reiterated it repeatedly. I was ready to just skip the chapters in Lamentations but firstborn that I am, I read it because of my commitment to read it all. But, if I had skipped those verses, I would have missed the words of encouragement inserted right in the middle of all the negativity.
God had not forgotten His chosen people and He did not forget me this week. He knew about the grief, and fear, and frustration, and fatigue, and anger. He was there each morning with a new set of mercies to meet my needs. It came in the form of a phone call, or an email, crossing paths with a friend at the store, or just the right Bible verse. I don’t have to be frustrated when everything appears to be out of control; my hope is in Him who is always faithful.
Postscript:
This was another tough week. The pandemic lockdown really began to wear me down. By Thursday, my patience level had dropped to zero, frayed nerves sparked angry outbursts, and there was no joy when the day began. I knew this had to change
The same God who stepped in years ago didn’t leave me to wallow in despair. In the quiet of my morning devotions, He gave me insight into some of the frustrations of the week. And He told me to go take a walk and observe His creation…listen to the birds singing, watch the bunnies hop across the path, catch sight of a mole as he dragged a leaf into his hole, stand in awe at the majesty of the mountains, and enjoy the flowers, the glorious flowers of Spring.
I realized that in this isolation, I needed to return to some of the things that make me happy. I used to love to fill pots around my house with seasonal flowers, however, with the move to the apartment, I decided I didn’t want to try and keep anything alive on the patio. But, I headed to Home Depot and came home with some ready-to-go pots. It made my heart happy. I can tell the heat is going to challenge these colorful and leafy plants, but I will just keep moving them around until I find the right spot.
Do you have a happy heart these days? If not, ponder a bit and see if God leads you to something new or maybe, something old. This isolation will end but the seeds sown now, will grow and give you a steadiness for the next step.