Lamentations 3:21
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope."
The lamentation above was written in difficult times. God's people were removed from their homeland to dwell among the enemy. The enemy had caused them to work so they could drink water. The had to purchase the wood that they cut down for their own homes. Their time was consumed with work. They had no one to deliver them. They saw their leaders killed before their very eyes. Certainly, these were difficult times for God's people.
Yet, in the midst of difficult times they found a way to keep hope. Hope was the only thing that kept them going as they served in the heat of the day. Hope was the only thing that encouraged them as they saw their children taken from their homes. Hope was the only thing motivated them when finances were at a minimum and the days were extremely difficult.
What was it that caused them to have hope in difficult times? Their hope came from Whom and in what they dwelt. You will find in this lamentation that when they dwelt upon their difficult times their "hope is perished." (Lamentation 3:18) Yet, when they looked at the mercies of the LORD every morning, as they saw His goodness to them, then they maintained their hope. It was all dependent upon a daily choice of what they focused upon.
Friend, everyone goes through difficult times, but as you go through those times you must maintain your hope in the LORD. Just like God's people had a choice to dwell upon their difficult times, you also have a choice of whether to dwell upon your difficult times or to dwell upon the goodness and mercies of the LORD. If you choose to dwell upon your difficult times, then you will also lose hope and become discouraged; however, if you choose to dwell upon God's goodness and see His mercies on a daily basis, you will find that you also can maintain hope in difficult times. The way to lessen the difficulty of difficult times is to keep your focus right.
Jeremiah said in verse 51, "Mine eye affecteth mine heart..." It is no wonder that many people are discouraged when all they do is dwell on the difficulty of the times. If you keep your eye on the LORD and His goodness, you will find your heart will maintain hope. You will find that joy in life can still be found.
Upon what do you allow your eyes to dwell? Are you looking at the difficult times in your life? Christian, this world needs to see that the God Who dwells within you is greater than the circumstances of this life. Yes, your times may be more difficult than others, but your God is certainly greater than those times. His goodness is better than the hardships of your difficult times. His mercies are greater than the hurts and pains of your difficult times.
Let me challenge you to daily take time to look at the mercies of God. God said that his mercies "are new every morning." If it were not for God's mercy, your difficult times could be more difficult. God's mercy has lessened the degree of what you are enduring. Situations or trials can always be worse, but God's mercies keep them from becoming that way. If you will daily look at how good God has been to you, then you can maintain your hope in difficult times.
I challenge you to be that Christian who is always on top of the difficult times. Don't walk beneath them, but walk on top of them as you dwell on God's goodness. When the world sees that you are always on top side no matter what difficulties you face, then you show to them the greatness of God. It is in these times that you prove to the world that God is greater than anything this world has to offer.