HOPE

"Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD." Lamentations 3:19-26

It is easy to maintain one's faith when things are going well and we are able to see God's blessings manifesting in wondrous ways. But what happens to faith when we can't see God moving in our lives. That is not to say that God isn't always moving on our behalf, but sometimes it is easier to see than others. That was the situation facing the author of The Book Of Lamentations. God had destroyed Jerusalem due to the sins of the people. It was so bad that the author named the book "Ekah" which is the Hebrew word for "How". (KJV Study Bible-Zondervan) Can you imagine facing a situation so seemingly desperate that the only thing you can say is how? How did this happen? How did I wind up here? How do I get out of this? Yet in spite of the situation the author has the presence of mind to remember that God is still in charge. He remembers that his situation could be worse. It is only through God's great mercy that he is still breathing. As long as we are alive and breathing we have hope. There is still an opportunity for God to move in our lives. No matter how desperate your situation looks, know that God is still there moving on your behalf. David said it best in Psalm 139:8, "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." God is always there. We just have to put our complete faith and trust in Him. Faith is the key as Jesus related to the blind men in Matthew 9:29, "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you."