Jehovah-Shammah + Jehovah-Jireh

"My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering my affliction..." (Lamentations 3:18-19). The author of these words had a reason to feel this way. In 586 BC, Jerusalem, his home, was destroyed by the people of Babylon and the Jews were taken captive. Reading further in Lamentations 3, we find that the author also felt trapped in the dark, broken, ignored, bitter, and distressed.

So have you ever felt the way he felt because of your affliction? Maybe you're going through trials and you feel that way now. It's easy to get doubtful and depressed when things don't go the way we wished they would have, when God seems like He's vanished, or when we feel like God doesn't care anymore.

But He promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20) and be near to us when we talk to Him (Psalms 145:18). When we look at God's words, it's obvious that He loves us and cares about what happens to us.

But maybe your doubt and depression still lingers and you're wondering what to do to get over this problem victoriously. The answer can be found in an event recorded in Matthew 14:22-32.

In these Scriptures, Jesus told His disciples to cross over to the other side of the sea in a ship while He sent the multitudes away. After this He went to a mountain to pray. But at that time the ship was in the middle of the sea and was being tossed with waves because of the wind blowing against it. So Jesus went to His disciples that night by walking on the sea. The disciples were scared to see Him because they thought He was a spirit, a ghost. But Jesus immediately comforted them and said, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." After this, Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, if it's You, bid me to come to You on the water." Jesus said, "Come," so Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But soon he started looking at the strong winds, he became scared, and he began to sink. Finally he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, caught him, and lovingly asked him why he doubted. Peter and Jesus went into the ship and the wind ceased.

Maybe you're caught in a storm. Stay focused on Jesus as Peter did at the beginning of his walk on the water and you will not sink...you will not be defeated. "For the Lord preserveth all them that love Him" (see Psalms 145:20).

Maybe you're in a storm and you've lost focus of God. You started off good like Peter, but then you started looking at the bad conditions around you and now you're sinking.

Or you may be in a storm and you've never even turned your eyes towards Jesus.

For either of these situations, all you have to do is call out to God like Peter did. Just cry out to Him a simple prayer: "Lord, save me!" The Lord will uphold the ones who fall (see Psalms 145:14), He will hear your cry and save you (see Psalms 145:19).

When you are depressed, make it a point to focus on God and trust Him. It may be hard to do, but He'll help you out. If you will come near to God, He will come near to you (see James 4:8). He can give you His peace which passes all understanding and it can keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

I believe the writer of Lamentations learned to focus on God during his hard times. Later on he said, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him...I called upon Thy Name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon Thee: Thou saidst, Fear not. O Lord, Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; Thou hast redeemed my life" (Lamentations 3:22-25,55-58).

So let's focus on God and draw near to Him. Let's do this in the good times and the bad times. Then we can also proclaim these victorious, joyful words!

PRAYER: Dear God, I thank You that You are with me always. Help me to trust in You in the good times and the hard times. Help me to be closer to You. May Thy peace and joy fill me, too. With love and thanks...In The Name Of Jesus. Amen.

*Jehovah-shammah means "The Lord is there." Jehovah-jireh means "The Lord will provide."