Lamentations 3 - "Goodness of God"

Last night I was reminded the Lord's mercies are new every morning. This morning I saw this:

I am not sure if I am the one needing these reminders or someone else but I do know God knows and that is all that matters. Verses twenty-five through thirty of Lamentations 3 in The Message reads:

God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
    to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
    quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
    to stick it out through the hard times.

When life is heavy and hard to take,

    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.

Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:

    Wait for hope to appear.

God is giving clear direction to us on how we are to handle difficult times in life. We are to:

• quietly hope for help from God (vs 26)
• stick it out through the hard times (vs 27)
• go off by yourself (vs 28)
• Enter the silence (vs 28)
• Bow in prayer (vs 29)
• Wait (vs 29)

Difficult times can be brought on by ourselves. They also can be allowed by God to stretch our faith. The lament of Lamentations 3 is one of calamities yet is filled with hope. God desires us to be victorious through difficult times. The only way that is possible is through His love, grace, and mercy. When we exercise the direction given to us in this lament, we will be victorious. People or circumstances may try to take us down but as long as we keep our focus on God they will not succeed. We may feel like we are all alone but God never leaves us. Once again this morning He has Goodness of God going through my mind.

I love You, Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Yes! One of the hardest things to do in the flesh is praise Him through difficult times. Thankfully that is one of the easiest things to do when we rely on the Holy Spirit. The enemy does not like our praises to God. That is all the more reason we should praise Him. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the new day that is ahead! Thank You for Your love, grace, and mercy that You shower down upon me so well! Thank You for Joyce Wolf's obedience to You! Thank You for the way You spoke to me as I pulled the sermon together for Sunday! Thank You for enlightening me through the process! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today. I pray for our Bible Study Group tonight to be enlightening to all of us as we continue studying Matthew. I also pray for those who have been missing since the holidays to return. My prayers are with many with physical, mental, emotional, and financial needs but especially those with spiritual needs. Lord, may we be the people You have called us to be. Thank You for what I accomplished in the house yesterday! I think I might have overdone it with my arm and pray for the pain/discomfort to subside. Thank You Jesus for being My Mercy Maker! Amen.