Lamentations 3

Ok, I have to admit that being in the OT is a bit odd for me. Over the past year or so, I realized that I was a New Testament freak, which is ok, but there is more of the Bible than just the NT. I have always looked at the OT as the OOOLLDDDDD Testament and I just figured that the NT was just the most important testament of the Bible. Basically, I should read the OT because it is in the Bible and it IS important.

OK, here goes...Lamentations tres.

This chapter is entitled "Hope in the Lord's Faithfulness." The first 20 verses or so describe many many things in which the Lord has just crushed someone. I mean, just read them and you would think also think that the word crushed is certainly appropriate. While reading the first 20 verses the first time through, I kept thinking, "Is this person really gonna have hope in the Lord after all this crap?" Answer: Yes (I couldn't believe it). Read verses 22-24. This person immediately forgets about what has just happened. I dont think and I know that I can't do that so easily. Verse 31-33 says "For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow." Really?!?!?!?!...He does not enjoy hurting people?? I just read 20 verses that say otherwise! Im not saying that God enjoys hurting people, I just don't see the connection, at all. I realize this is a super hard subject and it may be something that everyone has often pondered about. It is a sensitive subject because no one really has any good answers for this...I certainly don't. I just try to remember that God loves me and I move on, but just moving on without an answer doesn't settle with me. Why does God seem to punish those who are working soo hard to pursue God? Is it because He wants to stretch us a little bit to make us stronger? Then, why does it seem like we are stretched beyond breaking. Sometimes I don't feel like it is worth it to undergo all sorts of trials and tribulations when I feel like they hurting me way more than helping me. I know it is so easy to look at other people's lives and examine how much better their Spiritual lives are like because we probably never see their failures and shortcomings. I feel like I am working so hard to have an awesome spiritual life but I feel like I may never get it because I just keep getting crushed. I am NOT giving the "Oh why me, God" pity party. Honestly, people who throw pity parties just anger me to no end and I will in no way stoop that low. My goal is to talk things out so they dont get jumbled in my head in hopes of attaining a better understanding of what, how and why I think what I think. Oh yeah, I would like some input because I do value what my friends think. I know that God's timing is everything instead of my own and that's all that really matters. But, when His timing seems like it's never coming, I lose the vision of my purpose. I can't be growing spiritually if I have to keep rebuilding my purpose.