Leaning on the everlasting Arms

Lamentation 3 St.Vincent Grammar School (Staff) Aug 18th, 2025

When I was growing up, we used to sing an old hymn titled, Leaning On The Everlasting Arms; The last verse of which went like this . . .What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

And the chorus – Leaning, leaning, Safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning on Jesus, leaning on Jesus, Leaning on the everlasting arms.

It’s a great hymn; That expresses great truths; And great reminders of how we should be and think, and act – for sure; Nobody would argue with that. But here’s the thing – it’s easier said than done, isn’t it? It is*****

Leaning on the everlasting arms of God, the grace of God, the love of God, the sovereignty of God – is easier said than done.

Especially when you’re in the thick of it; Especially when skies are bleak, Especially when death, or destruction, or sickness, or betrayal plague your soul. Or how about stress, or opposition, or fighting’s within and fears without, or loneliness, griefor abandonment settle in? Trusting God and leaning on his everlasting arms isn’t so easy when darkness seems to his face.

Which is why passages like this are food for our soul and fuel for life. B/c it reminds us of the goodness and graciousness of God, even in the midst of hard times; Let me illustrate to you what I mean…

I know this past week have been particularly difficult for many of us. We have felt sorrow over the sudden loss of our dear friend and coworker, Kemarri. The shock and grief have been felt deeply our hearts.

When you lose someone like Kemarri—a husband, a father, a friend, a coworker, a church brother—your life feels shattered. How do you find the strength to keep going? How do you face each day when someone who was there one moment isn’t there anymore?

There was a man in the Bible who asked that question many years ago. His name was Jeremiah. Jeremiah went through one of the most horrendous periods of history in his nation Israel when an enemy nation came in and ravaged his entire nation. In fact took the entire nation captive slaves and took them out of their homeland. And during Jeremiah’s lifetime he watched enormous atrocities – inhumanities done to his people, to his family, to those that he loved. And he wrote it all down in two books of the Bible called the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations.

Jeremiah wrote what he lived and he lived what he wrote. In the middle of a national tragedy where he had just lost many of his countrymen, he wrote these words in the book of Lamentations.

He said, “We have suffered terror and pitfalls, ruin and destruction. Streams of tears flow from my eyes because of the destruction of my people.” Then he says, “I have cried until the tears no longer come. My heart is broken, my spirit poured out as I see what has happened to my people.” Lamentations chapter 3, verses 48-50.

If you’ve come to school today feeling a little low it just means you have a heart. Because we’ve been under a lot of emotional tension the last few days. But you’ve come to the right spot. Today, I want to share with you how to find the strength to go on after such a tragedy.

Jeremiah learned four important things, and I want to share them with you now:

1. Focus your attention on God. When you’re overwhelmed by loss and grief, the first step is to find a quiet moment to be alone with God. It’s important to slow down, step away from the noise and the busyness, and simply be with Him. Listen quietly. Wait patiently.

The Bible encourages this in Lamentations 3:28-29: "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."

You might wonder, how do I do that? A helpful way is to open your Bible to the middle, usually the book of Psalms—a collection of prayers and songs that express every feeling from deep sorrow to joyful hope. Start with Psalm 1 and read through them slowly. Let the words speak to your heart.

If reading feels difficult right now, I can offer you daily inspirational devotionals to encourage you and gently guide you into God’s Word day by day.

When life feels unbearably hard, trust in God’s grace.

Lean on it. Rest in it. Believe in it. Depend on it fully. Hold tightly to it. Treasure it. That’s what it means to trust God—embracing His love and strength as your support.

Remember, His everlasting arms are always there, open and ready to hold you safely. You don’t have to face this pain alone. Lean on Him and find comfort and peace in His presence.

*Story of Mom & Nigel

The second secret of finding the strength to go on after a tragedy...

2. Ask God to remove your fears.

When we lose someone close to us—a dear friend and coworker—we experience a flood of emotions. Grief, confusion, doubt, anger, and frustration all come rushing in. These feelings are natural and important to acknowledge. But there is one emotion that can silently take hold and do the most damage over time: fear.

Grief and anger do not paralyze us, but fear can. Fear can stop us from moving forward, from healing, from embracing life again. If we are to continue living fully after such a loss, we need to confront and overcome the fears and anxieties that arise in our hearts.

The Bible offers guidance on this. In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah, drenched in sorrow, cries out to God from the depths of despair. He says, “From the bottom of the pit I cried out to You, O Lord… You heard me… and You told me not to be afraid.”

God’s Word provides three powerful antidotes to fear: Truth, Love, and Faith.

1. Truth: Jesus said, “Know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Fear often thrives in the absence of truth. Many of the fears we carry are not born in us but learned through life—from those around us and from our experiences. By grounding yourself in God’s truth, you begin to see fear for what it is: often a false story, not the reality. Let God’s promises remind you of His constant presence even in the darkest moments.

2. Love: The Bible promises, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”When God’s love fills your heart, it pushes fear away. His love surrounds you, comforts you, and gives you peace. As you open yourself to that love, fear loses its grip, and confidence and hope grow in its place.

3. Faith: Faith doesn’t erase your feelings of fear, but it empowers you to face those feelings with courage. It gives you the strength to keep moving forward, even when you feel afraid. Faith anchors you, reminding you that you’re not alone and that God’s presence goes with you every step.

How do you receive these gifts of Truth, Love, and Faith? Through a close relationship with God. The more you draw near to Him—through prayer, reading Scripture, and seeking His presence—the more these antidotes will fill your heart.

1. Focus your attention on God. Let Him be your refuge, your strength, your comfort in this hard time. He hears your cry, understands your pain, and walks with you through your journey of grieving and healing.

The second secret of finding the strength to go on after a tragedy...

2. Ask God to remove your fears.

3. Believe God will restore you.

Expect Him to. Trust Him to. Believe God can help you recover from the tragedy you’ve just gone through. You have to trust God to bring good even out of bad. Jeremiah did this. After losing everything, this is what he prayed “Restore us O Lord and bring us back to You again. Give us back the joys we once had.”  (Lamentations 5:21)

The hymn Leaning on the Everlasting Arms reminds us that God’s arms are not only strong and everlasting—they are also full of grace, ready to catch us and lift us up when we feel broken. “What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms.  I have precious peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms” After the loss of a dear friend and coworker, it can feel like your world has been shattered. The pain may seem unbearable. But the good news is this: God promises restoration.

Though (Tho) the sorrow feels overwhelming, God specializes in new beginnings. He helps people start over after tragedy, loss, and hardship.

* After the deaths, I saw my dad who was married for 50yrs and a Pastor for 53yrs. Loose weight, he could not sleep, he lost his appetite. But he never gave up on God, he trusted God through it and slowly I saw God restore him.  To the point that this year he got married again.   God gives a fresh start, a new life, a new direction. But to receive this restoration, you need to trust God. You must believe, expect, and anticipate that He will bring healing and joy back into your life.

What NOT to do when tragedy strikes:

1. Don’t bottle up your grief. Let your feelings out. Tell God honestly how you feel—the good, the bad, and the painful. Holding it inside only makes the hurt grow deeper.

2. Don’t withdraw from life. It’s tempting to shut down, to build walls around your heart and retreat inward. But don’t resign yourself to just existing. God desires for you to live fully, even in the midst of sorrow.

3. Don’t fall into resentment. Resentment doesn’t harm those we are angry with—it harms only you. It prolongs your pain and steals your peace.

What you CAN do to move forward:

1. Accept what cannot be changed. There are many things in life beyond our control. Finding peace begins with acceptance. Acceptance brings serenity and opens the way to healing.

2. Give thanks for what remains. Make a list of things you are grateful for—even small things: life, freedom, God’s never-failing love. Gratitude pulls you out of despair because it’s impossible to be grateful and deeply depressed at the same time. As you cultivate thankfulness, you will see dark clouds begin to lift.

Remember Jonah’s words when he was in the depths of despair: "When I lost all hope, I turned my thoughts to the Lord." —Jonah 2:7

Healing takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience, trust, and the willingness to lean on God’s everlasting arms day by day. But God will restore you. He will bring back your joy. Lean on Him; He is faithful.

May this truth bring you comfort and peace today as you grieve. God’s arms are strong, His love is steadfast, and His promise of restoration is sure.

4. Remember What Never Changes Life changes constantly—every day brings something new. And when we face the sudden loss of someone dear, like our friend and coworker Kemarri, those changes come even faster and feel more overwhelming. One moment Kemarri was here with us, and the next, he’s gone. That kind of instant change shakes us to our core.

But in the midst of life’s changes and painful losses, there are some things that never change. Jeremiah, a man who knew deep loss, reminded himself of these unchanging truths. Remembering these can be the key to finding strength to go on.

1. God is still in control. Even now, through the pain and confusion, God remains on His throne. He is sovereign and powerful. He is still guiding the world, and He is watching over you. Though we may not understand why, He is still working His purposes out.

2. God’s love for you never changes. No matter what happens, no matter how lost or broken you feel, God’s love remains constant. He has promised never to stop loving you—through every sorrow, through every tear.

3. God is all you truly need. Sometimes it takes losing everything else for us to realize that God is enough. There may be times ahead when it feels like He is all you have—and in those times, you will discover that God is more than enough to carry you.

So lean on that truth. When life feels unbearably hard, lean on God’s grace and love as revealed in Jesus Christ. Lean on His everlasting arms—which are strong, gentle, and always ready to hold you safe and secure from every fear.

Prayer:

Father, there are many people here who are tired I’m sure and feel overloaded from the emotional stress of last week. There are many people here who are down, low, depressed. Some are worried, many are grieving. Many are fearful and many of us are just confused. And that’s why You brought us here. You Lord have the emotional and spiritual and physical strength we need to go on with our lives after this tragedy. So, Jesus Christ, we look to You. I pray that right now, in this moment, many people will open their lives to Your comfort and Your help. Would You heal those with painful memories? May we find peace resting in Your presence and strength in Your grace. Comfort all of us as we navigate this difficult time. Hold us close, Lord, and keep us safe in Your embrace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.