How To Restore Hope in A World Where Desolation Surrounds You

Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. King Zedekiah forced to watch his sons
be killed and then blinded so that would be the last thing he saw. The
temple was destroyed by the Babylonian army. Everything ransacked. The
city set on fire. All was lost. No one had listened to Jeremiah’s warning
cries. This was the pouring out of God’s just wrath against a people who
failed to listen to all His pleas for them to repent and turn to Him. All they
would have needed to do was lay aside their idol worship and turn to God.
He knew their rebellious hearts would destroy every ounce of goodness were
He not to intervene to separate out the weeds from the true vine. Certainly, the
weeds would choke and kill all hope of true life or happiness. But how do we
restore hope in a world where desolation surrounds?

Are we to just merely focus on rapture, unconcerned about those who will be
left behind? After all, do they not deserve what is coming? Look at the
cruelty surrounding us. Child trafficking, wars, murders, rape, violence in
the streets, right made wrong while wrong proclaimed right all increasing
around us. How do we navigate through the lies to find truth. Furthermore,
we see the suffering surrounding us from the rise in cancers, mental illness,
homelessness, poverty, and every manner of suffering. We long for justice,
freedom from oppression and fear. If anyone had the right to say, “I told
you so.”, it would have been the prophet, Jeremiah; but, he did not.

Instead, he wept bitterly for his people. Still at the end of it all, he had hope
himself in God and presented a message of hope for us, today.

Do We Ignore the Desolation to Restore Hope

All too often we tend to look away. If I do not hear the news, speak with
the broken, and close my eyes to all the sorrow, then I could restore hope in
my own life. But is that real hope or merely a charade of hope? So what is
true hope? According to the Merriam Dictionary hope is to desire with
expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. When we look around us and
recognize the depth of desolation, tragedy, and despair that is in this world,
how do we desire goodness, love, joy, and kindness with true expectation of
obtainment or fulfillment? Ignoring the sorrow does not translate into true
expectation of obtainment of the desired outcomes for true peace and
happiness. Certainly, Jesus did not ignore the sorrow around him. He wept
for the people. It grieved Him deeply that even His closest disciples did not
grasp the truth of the gift He brought. We see that when He wept at the
tomb of Lazarus.

Jesus Wept Over the Desolation of Jerusalem

He had come to restore hope. Indeed, He was the very embodiment of hope
because only He could cure the illness of this world by paying the price for
our sins.

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42
saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things
that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For
the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a
barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every
side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children
within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you,
because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19
(NASB)

In other words, He was saying, “I, your Savior, your Messiah came, and you
did not receive me.” The chief cornerstone, they cast out and would crucify
instead. But Jesus wept bitterly because they would not believe, much like
Jeremiah.

Jeremiah Wept Bitterly for the People in Lamentations

The book of Lamentations is made up of 5 Acrostic poems or songs. Chapter
3 uniquely has 3 verses for each letter of the alphabet with 66 verses while
the remainder all have 22 verses. Acrostic poetry shows a completeness of
A-Z in its presentation to make it easy for the audience to both understand
and remember. Chapter 1 is about the sorrows of Zion. 2 concerns zions
judgment. While 4 is about the completion of Zion’s punishment and 5 is a
prayer for suffering. In the middle and the one which is the longest, 3 is
about hope and relief through God’s Mercy.

א(Alef)
1 Alas! The city once full of people
now sits all alone!
The prominent lady among the nations
has become a widow!
The princess who once ruled the provinces
has become a forced laborer!

ב(Bet)
2 She weeps bitterly at night;
tears stream down her cheeks.
She has no one to comfort her
among all her lovers
All her friends have betrayed her;
they have become her enemies.

ג(Gimel)
3 Judah has departed into exile
under affliction and harsh oppression.
She lives among the nations;
she has found no resting place.
All who pursued her overtook her
in narrow straits.
Lamentations 1 (NET)

And so, the alphabet goes on through all twenty-two verses expressing the
depth of desolation in the land. Jeremiah looked from afar and so the
desolation with great sorrow. If only they had listened and turned. Are we
not like Jeremiah today? Watching as humanity runs farther from the truths
of the gospel. I feel the weight of this every day.

Yet, Jeremiah Did Not See Himself as Better—

he too felt the desolation
At no point did Jeremiah feel himself above the people. He too was deeply
afflicted for standing up and speaking God’s word. Yet, he was not bitter
with God for this. He always saw his own frailties as he cried out as though
the voice of Jerusalem. In this he prayed as though Jerusalem would pray, he felt the pangs of sorrow for them

צ(Tsade)
Jerusalem Speaks
18 The LORD is right to judge me!
Yes, I rebelled against his commands.
Please listen, all you nations,
and look at my suffering!
My young women and men
have gone into exile. Lamentations 1 (NET)

Would it not be better if at least we would cry out to the nations before they
too fall into this fate. Better yet, if we could as a nation repent and turn
back to God. It only happens one person at a time.

The False Lovers We Idolize

ק(Qof)
19 I called for my lovers,
but they had deceived me.
My priests and my elders
perished in the city.
Truly they had searched for food
to keep themselves alive. Lamentations 1 (NET)

We are in a society also who cry out for our lovers—whether that be
wokeness, environmental gods, politicians, alliances, money, power or
whatever we place before God Himself. They will not come to our rescue when desolation hits just as the Baals, Ashtaroth, and alliances of their day did not come to rescue them.

ר(Resh)
20 Look, O LORD! I am distressed;
my stomach is in knots!
My heart is pounding inside me.
Yes, I was terribly rebellious!
Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children;
Inside the house death is present. Lamentations 1 (NET)
Death and destruction around us. Too many dying in the streets of
overdoses, violence, murder, and suicide. I have seen it touch too many families.

It is Easy to Lose Heart and Bitterness Enter In

ש(Sin/Shin)
21 They have heard that I groan,
yet there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble;
they are glad that you have brought it about.
Bring about the day of judgment that you promised
so that they may end up like me! Lamentations 1 (NET)

At this point, the depths of desolation hit, who then can restore hope once
bitterness overtakes. Bitterness. This is where we should not go. Yes, we may grow weary of the battle against evil. But if we fully understand their ultimate destiny we must weep for them not cheer their destruction. Nor should we cry for their destruction either.

ת(Tav)
22 Let all their wickedness come before you;
afflict them
just as you have afflicted me
because of all my acts of rebellion.
For my groans are many,
and my heart is sick with sorrow. Lamentations 1 (NET
The Desolation of Israel came From God-Punishment Must Come to Restore
Hope

ע(Ayin)
17 The LORD has done what he planned;
he has fulfilled his promise
that he threatened long ago:
He has overthrown you without mercy
and has enabled the enemy to gloat over you;
he has exalted your adversaries’ power. Lamentations 2 (NET)

He had not come without warning, nor did He come without reason. Such
patience He has shown to the nation of Israel every step of the way. We
too are on that precipice as a nation. Those whom He has shown most
favor are in most danger of being destroyed when they turn from God.

Even then, Jeremiah pleads with the people to repent.

צ(Tsade)
18 Cry out from your heart to the Lord,
O wall of Daughter Zion!
Make your tears flow like a river
all day and all night long!
Do not rest;
do not let your tears stop! Lamentations 2 (NET)

Yet in the Middle of desolation,

We restore our hope by remembering who God is. Just as did Jeremiah. I
have not suffered nearly as much as he was asked to and that less than
Jesus Christ. Surely, I can remember the kindnesses and goodness of
God.

ז(Zayin)
19 Remember my impoverished and homeless condition,
which is a bitter poison.
20 I continually think about this,
and I am depressed.
21 But this I call to mind;
therefore I have hope:

ח(Khet)
22 The LORD’s loyal kindness never ceases;
his compassions never end.
23 They are fresh every morning;
your faithfulness is abundant!
24 “My portion is the LORD,” I have said to myself,
so I will put my hope in him. Lamentations 3 (NET)

And let us not forget King David, who also taught us so much about
restoring hope in a world of desolation and darkness.

Restoring Hope Even Amid a World of Desolation—7 Steps

1. Do Not Be Afraid—Remember the Lord is our strength 

 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?² When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.³ Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.  Psalm 27 KJV 

2.  Seek God every day desiring to be in His presence 

⁴ One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.  Psalm 27 KJV 

3.  Remember that it is God who Protects You 

⁵ For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.   Psalm 27 KJV 

And with a Joyful Heart of Gratitude

4.  Always Sing Out in Rejoicing and Praise for What He has done 

⁶ And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord. Psalm 27 KJV 

5. Be Quick to Cry Out for Repentence and Mercy for Sins, Knowing He Forgives 

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.⁸ When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.⁹ Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. Psalm 27 KJV 

6. Ask for God to guide you so you remain a light shining bright even in presence of enemies who want to take you down.  

¹¹ Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.¹² Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.  Psalm 27 KJV 

Most Important of all

7.  Trust God, Wait Patiently on Him because you know of His Goodness 

¹³ I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living ¹⁴ Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.  Psalm 27 KJV 

You are Truth, Lord and You Alone

When I feel so lost and so alone 

I turn and look upon Your throne 

You, who for my sins did die 

To rise again and justify 

A wretched heart whose selfish pride 

Could never set my Self aside 

Until I saw a glimpse of you, Your gaze 

That set my soul ablaze 

A love burst forth, one greater still  

Compels me bow beneath Your will 

And when I feel so sad, so down 

I then must look upon Your crown 

A crown of thorns once pierced Your brow 

Exchanged for Glory that somehow 

Did then bestow on me Your Grace 

So as I gaze upon Your face 

Transformed this wretched heart of mine 

Reflects Your righteous Heart Divine 

As step by step I bow before 

The one who doth my life restore 

Yet, when I stop to see this world 

The sorrow, pain; it’s evil hurled 

Upon the foolish, blind, and lost 

I then can see the depth, the cost 

The weight of sin You chose to bare 

For selfish ones who do not care 

With hate-filled looks, their brazen stare 

Whose hardened hearts do then declare 

Themselves as kings yet all the while 

Destroying all with Hate and guile 

They think themselves so righteous wise 

While cloaked with lies their one disguise 

Oh, how I hate to see them Lord 

Despising You in one accord 

Yet, there I see your arms stretched wide 

To bid them come to You, abide 

To come repentant, sinner come 

And bow before Your throne succumb 

Unto Your Grace, Your love profound 

While singing praise, Salvation’s Sound 

So broken, sad my desperate heart 

Desires to leave this world, depart 

To sit before Your precious throne 

And bask within Your love alone 

Broken, scarred, no strength, no might 

To face the battles, I MUST fight 

Yet then I hear Your gentle voice 

Bid me to stay and make the choice 

To stand once more, Your truth my shield 

As to they will I fully yield 

In You I have the strength, the might 

In darkness, shine Your brilliant light 

So, hold me tight within Your hand 

That I might do Your will as planned 

Your love, your joy will fill each day 

You’ll give my lips the words to say 

So that the broken, lost alone 

May then repent, make You their own 

Finding You to be their greatest treasure 

A Perfect love beyond all measure 

I bid the broken, lost, and sad 

Come look upon Your Cross.  Be glad! 

For You did die to pay their way 

And rose again on the third day 

If only they would now believe 

The gospel truth and there receive 

You as their Lord and let You in 

You’ll break the binding chains of sin 

Wrapped in Your Righteousness alone 

They’ll stand before God’s mighty throne 

Beloved, Redeemed, a child of God 

With Victory now my feet are shod 

Spreading the truth so far and wide 

Knowing You’re always by my side 

So, boldly now, no more to fear 

Knowing Your love is oh so near 

Empowered with Your Joy and Peace 

I march on Lord and must not cease 

Until that day You call me home 

Upon this broken world I’ll roam 

You are truth and You alone 

So, take this heart that once was stone 

Reveal Your will and make it known 

That through my life Your light is shown 

Into the darkest, dreary night 

That all might see Your strength and might 

And let me die to selfish pride 

That in Your Will I do abide 

A beacon of Your love Divine 

I am the Branch, You are the Vine 

Effie Darlene Barba

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

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Jeremiah, Jesus, And How to Shine Bright in An Ever-Darkening World 

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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