Finding Hope in God's Hands Beyond the Pain

Introduction

An so we come to the conclusion of our study through the book of lamentations. It has not been an exhausted study, but I trust it has been enough for us to find strong footing when life happens.

In this last chapter of Lamentations the expected structure of the book breaks down. The author no longer uses the alphabetic acrostic formula. There is only one voice that speaks directly to Yahweh. All of this 5th and final Lamentation is not as much of an introspect as it is direct communication with God. The author begins This lamentation…

1. Acknowledging the Depth of the Pain (vv1-18)

Lamentations 5:1–18 (LSB)

1 Remember, O Yahweh, what has happened to us; Look, and see our reproach!

2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, Our houses to foreigners.

3 We have become orphans without a father; Our mothers are like widows.

4 We drink our water by means of silver; Our wood comes to us at a price.

5 Our pursuers are at our necks; We are worn out; there is no rest for us.

6 We have given over our hands to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.

7 Our fathers sinned; they are no more; It is we who have borne their iniquities.

8 Slaves rule over us; There is no one to tear us away from their hand.

9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives Because of the sword in the wilderness.

10 Our skin has become as hot as an oven Because of the burning heat of famine.

11 They violated the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.

12 Princes were hung by their hands; Elders were not respected.

13 Young men lifted up the stone at the grinding mill, And youths stumbled down under loads of wood.

14 Elders have ceased from being at the gate, Young men from their music.

15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; Our dancing has been turned into mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head; Woe to us, for we have sinned!

17 Because of this our heart is faint; Because of these things our eyes are dim;

18 Because of Mount Zion which lies desolate, Foxes walk about in it.

Here the people are recounting to God, asking Him to remember all of what has and is happening to them. All of the atrocities that have befallen them.

Yes they have been sinful, they have been confessing theirs sins all along in the previous laments, and they acknowledge that all that has happened to them they deserved it. No one is innocent. They are not saying that God is unjust what they are doing is this is telling God “look at our condition. Look at how we are living and how we are suffering.”

However, this call was not just for God to see what had happened since…

Proverbs 15:3 (LSB)

3 The eyes of Yahweh are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.

This is not just a matter of information, rather that God see and act on their condition.

Exodus 3:7–10 (LSB)

7 And Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sufferings.

8 “So I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.

9 “So now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.

10 “So now, come and I will send you to Pharaoh, and so you shall bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”

So, just like the children of Israel, we go through seasons where everything feels lost. Make inventory of all of your pains and sorrows and recount them to the Lord

Tell Him, they fired me, the car wont start, my husband, my wife, my kid, my friend who held my life in their hands is gone, and on top of that the refrigerator stopped working, the roof is leaking, and the dog died.

My children won’t call and check up on me, I am depressed and lonely, someone broke into my apartment. My blood pressure is through the roof.

In those moments, we must be honest about our pain, bringing it to God rather than hiding it. Trust that even in our pain, God is at work, guiding us through a process that we might not fully understand.

Hebrews 4:15–16 (NIV)

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Jesus empathizes with our pain, encouraging us to approach God confidently and lay our pain before Him, trusting in His understanding and compassion.

In the mid’s 1800’s a minister by the name of Elisha Hoffman, I do not know what was going on in his life, but in full understanding of this principle penned the following words

1 I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone; In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and cares for His own.

2 I must tell Jesus all of my troubles; He is a kind, compassionate friend; If I but ask Him, He will deliver, Make of my troubles quickly an end.

I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! I cannot bear my burdens alone; I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

And so, we unburden ourselves just like the people in Jeremiah’s days while at the at the same time

3. Remembering God’s Sovereignty and Faithfulness (vv. 19-20)

Lamentations 5:19–20 (LSB)

19 You, O Yahweh, sit enthroned forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.

20 Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long?

They contrasted their desperation with God’s authority. This shift from their suffering to God’s sovereignty is significant. Despite feeling abandoned , they remind themselves that God’s rule is eternal, and His character is unchanging.

In the midst of trials, we must remember God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. Focus on the truth that God reigns eternally and that His faithfulness never wavers, even in our darkest seasons.

Look at what God says through the psalmist

Psalm 46:1–3 (LSB)

1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains shake into the heart of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its lofty pride. Selah.

Psalm 46:10 (LSB)

10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

When we acknowledge God’s sovereignty, we find peace, knowing that He is in control of all things.

Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)

9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

God’s faithfulness spans generations. We can trust that His promises hold true, regardless of our current circumstances

But you do not understand, I love the Lord, I know I do and I try to live my life according to His statues but I am not always obedient. I stumble and I fall, and my faith wavers.

2 Timothy 2:13 (LSB)

13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Even when we doubt, God remains faithful. His sovereignty and steadfastness provide a foundation we can depend on.

This foundation provides a springboard so that we can begin…

Looking Forward to Restoration (vv. 21-22)

In other words, looking forward to a future that is not shaped or controlled by the current pain.

Lamentations 5:21–22 (LSB)

21 Cause us to return to You, O Yahweh, that we may be returned; Renew our days as of old,

22 Even if You have utterly rejected us And are exceedingly angry with us.

The chapter concludes with a hopeful request: “Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old.” Despite their suffering, the people express faith in God’s ability to restore them.

They yearn for renewal and a return to the closeness they once had with God. This is a reminder that their suffering is not the end of their story. They believe that God’s purpose for them will bring restoration and healing.

When we face trials, we must remember that pain does not have the final word. Imagine the future beyond your pain, trusting that God’s restoration will come, and that He is preparing something new beyond what you currently see.

Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

God transforms our suffering into beauty. His restoration replaces our mourning with joy and hope.

1 Peter 5:10 (LSB)

10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, strengthen, confirm, and ground you.

God’s plan is to restore and strengthen us. Suffering is not the end; rather, it prepares us for His work of restoration and renewal.

Revelation 21:4 (LSB)

4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.”

This ultimate vision of God’s restoration reminds us that pain is temporary. God is moving us toward a future without sorrow, where His love reigns fully.

Lamentations 5 captures the heartfelt cry of a people at the end of themselves, grappling with pain, yet beginning to recognize that God has been present and is still at work.

Conclusion

As we come to the close of our journey through Lamentations, we’ve walked with God’s people through the depths of sorrow, loss, and questioning. Each lament has shown us a different facet of their suffering, but also the resilience of faith—even in the darkest valleys. From their cries of grief and repentance to their moments of fragile hope, we’ve seen that God’s presence and promises remain, even when He seems silent.

The message of Lamentations is ultimately one of honesty with God. In our own lives, we are invited to bring every hurt, every doubt, and every fear to Him, trusting that He is with us in our sorrow and working in ways we may not yet see. Just as God’s mercies are new every morning, so is His commitment to our restoration.

Through suffering and sadness, through chaos, through silence, In the midst of conflicting ideas, and ultimately through hope, may we remember that at the end of ourselves, we will always find God’s hands ready to heal, renew, and bring life beyond the pain. Amen.