Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. (Lam. 3:32)
Expanded Passage: Lamentations 3:28-33
The greatest of friendships are the ones characterized by honesty—honesty in sentiments that are heartwarming and honesty in sentiments that are challenging. The people who I am closest to are the people that will give me honest thoughts when I go to them for advice. They will do this for me even if their honest thoughts are not what I want to hear, because their goal is not to keep me happy, but to really help me.
God is the same way, and he is the best kind of friend we could hope for. Instead of telling us what we want to hear and allowing us to do whatever we want, his actions and words toward us may sometimes cause us grief. But ultimately, his disposition toward us is one of love. Because of this, even when he causes us pain, he is compassionate. We can trust that both the grief that God causes and the compassion that he shows us come from a heart of love for us.
In believing this, we can open our hearts to accept both grief and compassion. In times of hurt, we can continue to seek God and learn and grow through them. In times of hope and joy, we can rejoice in God’s unfailing love toward us and enjoy the kindness of his compassion.
Accept both grief and compassion, rejoicing in God’s unfailing love.
Grace Aukerman is a recent Kingswood University graduate who is passionate about coffee and about sharing God’s truth through the written word.
© 2023 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
