Sometimes there are passages and moments in Scripture that catch me out. Don’t get me wrong, its not that I can understand everything and these moments are an exception – I am always uncovering parts of the Bible that require me to dig in even deeper. Its one of the joys of scripture.

Reading Lamentations recently I was struck by these verses;

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. Lamentations 3:31-33

I believe God is good.

I don’t believe that His desire is to see His creation suffer harm. Since Christ died on the cross, taking all our sin, I don’t believe that we are still required to pay for our sin. We should of course confess it, repent from it, and run away from it, but we can’t pay for something that is already bought.

Christ did that!

Therefore, when we suffer trials, difficulties, sickness etc. I don’t believe that it is God’s punishment to us. I simply believe that these are the consequences of sin in our world. We know we are set free from the penalty of sin but its presence and at times, its power, is still felt by us.

In the Old Testament the situation was different. Christ hadn’t come, the cross hadn’t happened, the penalty of sin was still on mankind. We see passages in the OT which seem to suggest that God, because He is just, actually brings pain and punishment. Its always a hard one to wrap our heads around. I still believe that this punishment is not His desire and this verse seems to highlight that although I have so many questions about it.

“He does not willingly” is the part that gets me here. What does that mean?

I don’t believe God is coerced so it can’t be that.

I don’t believe that He doesn’t have the power to intervene so it can’t be that.

The best I can think here is of a parent who has to discipline a child. I don’t think parents ever enjoy bringing discipline to their kids. However, there are times when their behaviour requires it whether we like it or not. We do not “willingly” want to do it but we feel we have no choice.

Is this what the writer is referring to here????

Man, we need the Holy Spirit to help us!