Lamentations 3:33-66

7.     That when God does cause grief, it is for wise and holy ends, and He takes not delight in our calamities (v33).  He does indeed afflict and grieve the children of men; … but He does not do it willingly, not from the heart, but only when we deserve it; and only then reluctantly; and even then He retains His kindness to His people.

Contrary to what we may have been conditioned to believe, our comfort is not the highest good!  God does not willingly afflict; in other words He does not enjoy this.  Remember that in Creation everything He made was good.  His provision for Adam and Eve in the Garden was totally satisfying.  They turned away from God’s blessing and chose their own way.  God, the Creator, knows that we cannot be satisfied if we do not enjoy the fellowship with Him for which they were made.  So God is at work to bring us back to Himself.  Given our stubborn rebellion, that work may require great affliction.

8.     That though He makes use of men as His hand, or rather instruments in His hand, for the correcting of His people, yet He is far from being pleased with the injustice of their proceedings and the wrong they do them, v34-36.

The issue here is retribution, vengeance or justice.  In our limited perspective we often consider ourselves to be unfairly treated.  In the case of Judah, remember that God used the idolatrous Babylonians to be His instrument of vengeance.  That might have seemed unfair.  But our thoughts about fairness need to be corrected by God’s thoughts.  All judgment belongs to Him.  As the Potter, the One who owns us, we are responsible to Him.  All must give account to God.  With that in mind consider Romans 12:17-21 that tells us how we are to think and act, especially towards our enemies.  Learn this so that you might be free of the burden of getting even.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In fact this is how Ch. 3 ends.  Having concluded his soul talk (v40-42) Jeremiah returns to prayer, speaking to God in the second person (e.g. v42).  He again reviews what has happened (v43-60), weeping, recognizing God’s hand in it all, including perhaps God’s mercy while he was in the dungeon.  The result of his prayer is that Jeremiah gives the right of revenge to God (v61-66).  He calls on God to repay them.  The result is that the Babylonians are still there, Jerusalem is still in ashes, but Jeremiah has found relief through God!  That is the blessing of having our minds renewed so that we think God’s thoughts.