Lamentations 3:28-33
“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. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way.”
“Let them sit alone in silence beneath the Lord’s demands. Let them lie face down in the dust, for there may be hope at last. Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies. 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.”
Anyone who suffers will find it validated in Lamentations. There are instructions for endurance too. Always the key is knowing God. A suffer in the walk of faith knows God hates his sin but loves his soul. This is the bedrock. Interpret everything else through it. Suffering is allowed out of love. We don’t understand and must trust God is carrying us in ways we cannot see but through hindsight. Feelings say otherwise, but we trust he lovingly surrounds and indwells us during tough times because he is who he is.
Lord, thank you for suffering, what you have done through it in my life. Its fruit is sweet. Let me not fear to go there again with you.