Image by Cailin Valente
I don't know about you, but I wasn't too sure about what I'd find while reading a book called "Lamentations." The name itself sounds fairly depressing, and most of the verses sound quite the opposite of some of the joyful praises we find in the Psalms. At first I wondered why a book like this would even be in the Bible, and I'll be honest I hadn't read it before.
Then I realized the wisdom in the Word of God.
Our lives on Earth have suffering. Everyone knows it, everyone experiences it, and some people lose their faith over it. Even Jesus himself suffered and was tempted. For a while, suffering in my own life was incredibly difficult because I didn't know how to get through it. If I can't always change my circumstances, what am I supposed to do? How do I see the blessings of God in pain and suffering? People sometimes told me to "offer it up," but I didn't really know what that was supposed to mean.
While reading sad stories is not necessarily enjoyable, the Book of Lamentations is a great blueprint for how we can deal with and overcome the sin and suffering in our lives. I have found that coping with these are much easier when I learn to identify with Christ's suffering on the cross and remember that I'm not alone.
I encourage you to try reading through Lamentations once before we dive into this study. There are only five chapters, so you can probably do it in one sitting. See if anything jumps out to you, and look for themes of confession, grief, faith, love, and hope. We will explore these more in depth over the next couple weeks, and I hope you come away with a new way to look at suffering, humility, prayer, and Scripture.
Ask Our Lady and her Spouse the Holy Spirit to guide you and inspire you during this study.
May you receive exactly what you need right now, and may God bless you!
