Dear Christian friends:

One summer a family of six was driving from California to Texas on a vacation. As they came near El Paso, Texas their car had a flat tire and fell over on its side. The mother's arm was broken and crushed and was cut off below the elbow. None of the children or the husband were hurt. Now we ask "Why did God let that happen to this mother?"

She was a good mother of four children, yet God let that trouble happen to her. He let it happen for her soul's good. Although she was baptized and later confirmed in the Lutheran Church she married an unbeliever and stopped going to church. Also, she did not teach her four children to love and serve Jesus. They never went to church or Sunday School. But after that trouble happened to her the mother understood that God in mercy was warning and correcting her.

So she again went to church and took her four children to Sunday School and church. The mother herself even became a Sunday School teacher. So you see God let that trouble happen to this mother for a very good purpose.

Troubles also happen often to you and me. What should we think and say when troubles happen to us? Today our text answers that question:


First, we can learn from our text that we Christians ought to expect troubles to come to us. We need such troubles because we are not yet perfect in our life. Troubles help a believer to improve in God's holy ways.

True, God has forgiven all our sins and will not condemn us to hell because Jesus paid for them. But we still have our old Adam, our old sinful heart that has lust, pride, anger and hatred. Often we think and speak or do such things. Even here at church we see that in one another. Also we often doubt God or do not believe his Word and promises in the Bible.

We fear and worry and lose patience and grumble and kick against Him and His Word or Commandments. We become very used to this and think it isn't very bad. But our holy God sees this and is much displeased with our sins. So He gives us trouble to teach us to stop such sins and improve.

In Lamentations 3:25-27 it says, "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth."

Three times Jeremiah here says troubles are good for the believers even for the young believers. Young people also need troubles to help them stop loving pleasure and more to love God and wait for Him.

Also our text shows that troubles may become very bad, terrible. So we should not be surprised if bad or terrible troubles come to us. Lamentations 3:28-30 tells about Jeremiah and how much trouble happened to him: "He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach."

When others mock and slap him, he will not slap back, he suffers that shame knowing God sent it because of his sins. (David leaving the palace during Absalom's rebellion.)

So our troubles may be very terrible and we may stand all alone and suffer mockery and shame. We should accept that like a good sport. We deserve it because of our sins. But don't give up on God in that trouble and shame. Remember He still loves you. That's why He let you get caught and have shame, so you will wake up and improve.

This also our text clearly shows in Lamentations 3:22-24, "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."

If God did not love us He would not send us troubles to correct us, but He would let us continue in our sinful way and arrive at destruction finally, or He may quickly let us get destroyed. (Lamentations 3:22) And even in our troubles we can still see much blessings every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)

True, we may lose one arm but we still have the other one and two good legs also, food and drink and many other blessings even in troubles. And even if we lose everything and must die, we still have God and hope for a new life and a new earth with Him in glory. (Lamentations 3:24)

So when troubles come, even terrible troubles we should remember God in mercy and kindness lets that happen to us. And finally our text shows that these troubles will not last very long. Only as long as is necessary.

Our text says, "For the Lord will not cast off for ever:
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
For he doth not afflict willingly." (Lamentations 3:31-33a)

So God doesn't like to give trouble to us and He only lets that trouble happen long enough for us to wake up and improve. Then He loves to send us many good things to cheer us and comfort us. He gives sickness and again health. He sends rain and then sunshine in our lives in exact measure.

He in wisdom and mercy knows how much trouble and how long for it to last and when to stop and give us peace and good times.

So when troubles come remember: They come from Your wise and kind God who loves you in Jesus. With troubles He intends to improve you for good. So accept these troubles and wait for God's salvation and hope in Him.

Amen.