For This House
Your haven for home & heart
Your haven for home & heart
April 13, 2024 | 4 min read
Jenah Ziegenfus, guest author
Do you ever have a song that you just can’t get out of your head? It plays over and over in your mind, and you finally have to play music of a different genre over the speakers to change your mental playlist.
Or maybe someone points out that you’re humming the song, and you didn’t even realize it. For me, that song was “Father Abraham” last week. You know the one– “Father Abraham…had many sons…many sons had father Abraham.” Random, I know. Those songs from your childhood can sneak up on you when you’re least expecting it, amiright? No, just me?
Having a song on repeat in your mind can get annoying. But it got me thinking: what do I want to have on repeat in my mind? What am I filling my mind and heart with today in preparation for tomorrow?
A year or so ago, I listened to an episode from my favorite podcast, Sunny & 65 with Madi Schultz (side note: if you’re looking to expand your podcast selection, I highly encourage you to check it out!). In this particular episode, the podcast guest shared about a season of suffering in her life during which a mentor encouraged her to memorize a few verses from the book of Lamentations.
Why Lamentations? It’s one of those books many of us tend to skim or skip altogether in our Bible reading. The author of Lamentations describes in detail Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem. He is mourning–or lamenting–over the effects of sin in the world. He does not sugarcoat his circumstances, or rather the situation of the city of Jerusalem due to their rebellion against God. He is very aware that the world is not as it should be because of sin, and he laments over that reality.
In a season of deep suffering, amidst his complaints and crying out, the author (probably Jeremiah) pauses his discourse to remind himself of the character of God. Lamentations 3:21-24 reads like this:
After four years of being a middle school teacher, I recently stepped into the role of stay-at-home mama. I’m a few months into this new role and loving it, though some days are harder than others. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the way I sometimes feel pressure—or more accurately, put pressure on myself—to ignore the hard stuff, to pretend like I have it together, to be happy all the time. Now don’t hear me wrong—being a mom is the best! But, God is also showing me that it’s okay, maybe even good, to get honest with myself and others when the effects of the Fall make motherhood hard.
Maybe you can relate. Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the demands of your work. Maybe you find yourself in the middle of a tense conflict with someone you love that you want to resolve but don’t know how. Maybe you are grieving the loss of someone dear to you. Maybe you are lamenting a dream you had that feels like it’s been snatched away. Whatever it is, I want you to hear this today:
This is hard, and this is not the way that God intended it to be. Sin hurts. Death steals. Hate wins–for now. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and trust in Him alone for salvation, then you know this isn’t the end of the story. It’s right to lament. But it’s also right to remind yourself of Truth.
Here’s my challenge: Lament when life is hard. Cry out to God when it hurts. But don’t stop there. Like Jeremiah, recall the steadfast love of the Lord. Here’s what that might look like:
God, I am frustrated that I keep falling into this pattern of sin. I need your help. I recognize that I can’t fix or save myself. I’m desperate and exhausted from trying. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope…”
Lord, I am sad that my life does not look the way I thought it would right now. I feel pressure to keep up, to fit into a mold, to compare myself to others. “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope…”
Whatever it is for you, fill in the blank. Then repeat these sweet words to yourself over and over until they are committed to memory:
That song I couldn’t get out of my head last week was driving me crazy. This week, it’s this verse that’s on repeat for me. I’m praying that these will be the words that flood my mind the next time I’m overwhelmed, exhausted, burnt out, frustrated, angry, grieving, or lamenting. I’m praying the same for you. May we be encouraged today and every day by the steadfast love of the Lord. He is our only Hope.
Jenah is a follower of Jesus, wife to Andrew, and mama to Kylah. She spent several years teaching middle schoolers before taking a break to fill the role of stay-at-home-mom. Jenah is a lover of genuine friendships, long walks, and anything that includes chocolate and peanut butter.