Day 38: When You’ve Had Enough:
March 27
by Beth Carvajal
Readings:
Reflection:
After reading the scriptures, check out the beautiful nature video of today's devotional HERE if you prefer.
Have you ever just wanted to give up?
Perhaps it was a time that you tried to be charitable, but the gesture was met with disdain.
Maybe it was a time when you tried to reach out to someone, but they responded with contempt.
Or you’ve been trying to change something in your character, but you’re met with obstacles every day.
And each of these challenges makes you rethink the effort, throw up your hands, and quit.
The passages today certainly meet us where we are… particularly if you are feeling like the themes of Lent are still just an arm’s reach away. Ultimately, we see examples of an attack on the Lord’s faithful, protection of the Lord’s faithful, and finally, the vindication of the Lord’s faithful.
You know, Jeremiah didn’t actually want the job he was asked to do. God appointed him as a prophet and asked him to speak on His behalf. But Jeremiah made a lot of excuses about why he wasn’t the right guy. And in Jeremiah 20, he finds himself in a bit of a complaint session. The words he has been asked to say have made him a laughing stock, someone to be mocked, disregarded, unfriended, and even destroyed. And in Jeremiah 20:9, he was trying to quit. He wanted to hand in his resignation, but God’s message overpowered his heart and made it so the words burned inside of him.
In verse 11, he seems to have had an incredibly inspiring “paradigm shift” when he says, “But the LORD stands beside me like a great warrior.” Jeremiah experienced hate and isolation, but he had a sure hope that God would not leave him. He believed that God would protect him and defeat those who stood against him, because Jeremiah committed himself to living according to the promise of God.
It turns out, the Lord’s faithful don’t get a free pass. We see in verse 12 that God tests our hearts and minds. I confess to all of you that I am not quick to forgive. I harbor hurt feelings for a long time and sometimes replay conversations, hoping to have the chance to “stick it” to someone if the topic comes up again. God makes it clear here, through Jeremiah, that He doesn’t come through for me just because I call myself a Christian. He sees my heart and mind- I'd better get that fixed so that I can more clearly see the will of God and allow Him to do what he thinks is best. Let us allow God to decide the time, place, and measure with which he will protect us.
Finally, this leads us to a poignant time in Jesus’ life where he, too, was mocked, disregarded, unfriended, and people wanted to destroy him. These were the same people who had witnessed miracles, been healed, been fed, and been seen. Sometimes we find ourselves “suffering” (which I put in quotes because we will never suffer the way Jesus did) at the hands of the very people we have tried to serve or help. Both Jeremiah and Jesus were provoked in our readings today, and we have a lot to learn from them. Jeremiah prayed a prayer of surrender. Jesus had the power to call down fire from heaven, but he did not use the power to fight against his enemies. He walked away. If God allows you to experience difficulties or a rupture in a relationship, know that it is because God knows that something good can come out of it. We learn more in moments of adversity than in moments of bliss. Cherish your moment of adversity; know that there can be no crown if there wasn’t first a cross.
Song:
By the Streams – Jonathan Ogden
Content for wisdom and contentment at: urenuf.life
*NEW* Lent 2026 Playlist on Apple Music
Lent 2026 | urenuf.life podcast on Spotify
Comments
Post a Comment