當反省歸向神（哀三）中英bilingual

我就說：我的力量衰敗； 我在耶和華那裏毫無指望！ （哀 3：18）​ 

身心靈被神擊打的痛苦，感覺自己被神趕入黑暗之中。在這裡，神彷彿不再是保護者，而是嚴厲的攻擊者與仇敵。耶利米的絕望到了谷底，甚至覺得自己對神的指望已經徹底斷絕。就這樣，在18節之前他不斷的哭訴著這樣的苦楚，我們也許沒有像這樣被擊打，但我們總有覺得苦難當頭的時候，這時候的你會怎麼做呢？ 

我們不致消滅， 是出於耶和華諸般的慈愛； 是因他的憐憫不致斷絕。 （哀 3：22） 

從19節開始耶利米先知收乾眼淚並轉念，因為他清楚明白的知道即使現在痛苦絕望，但還是要仰望神，唯有緊緊的抓住神，才能得到從神而來的恩典與福氣，「我想起這事，心裡就有指望」，要知道身為基督徒的我們也是會遭遇患難，而在患難中支撐我們的就是那從神而來的慈愛與憐憫，這不是一個空洞的樂觀，而是一個我們必須確信且要耐心等候的盼望，讓我們可能在已經失序的生活中能平靜安穩重新得力。 

我們當深深考察自己的行為， 再歸向耶和華。 （哀 3：40） 

耶利米先知話鋒再轉，開始呼籲百姓要自我省察與悔改，當我們遭遇挫折或苦難時，第一反應往往是怨天尤人，覺得自己是受害者，或者急著質問神「為什麼是我」。然而，這邊提供我們一個建設性的想法-自我反省，與其自怨自艾，不如把苦難當作生命的轉機，好好地檢視自己是否有偏離神心意的地方，是不是有什麼行為開始歪掉了，「我們當深深考察自己的行為， 再歸向耶和華」。 

我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處豐富；或飽足，或飢餓；或有餘，或缺乏，隨事隨在，我都得了秘訣。 我靠着那加給我力量的，凡事都能做。 （腓 4：12-13） 

最後，即使感到黑暗、孤單與無助，應該仍要願意來到神面前，把心中的焦慮、疑問和眼淚向祂傾訴，不斷的向神禱告，把這些傷痛與不平，完全交託給那位鑒察人心、施行公義的神。  

他對我說：「我的恩典夠你用的，因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」所以，我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。 （林後 12：9）

By 張嘉祠

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

We Should Examine Ourselves and Turn Back to God (Lamentations 3)

August 21, 2026

So I say, “My strength has failed, And so has my hope from the Lord.”

(Lamentations 3:18 NASB2020)

Jeremiah experienced the pain of being struck in body, soul, and spirit by God. He felt as though God had driven him into darkness.Here, God seemed no longer to be his protector, but a severe attacker and even an enemy.Jeremiah’s despair had reached its lowest point, he even thought that his hope in God had completely disappeared.Before verse 18, Jeremiah repeatedly cried out about his suffering. We may not have experienced suffering to this extent, but there are times when we all feel overwhelmed by hardship, what will we do?

The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. (Lam 3:22)

Beginning in verse 19, Jeremiah wipes away his tears and changes his perspective.He clearly understands that even in the midst of pain and despair, he must still look to God. Only by holding firmly to God can we receive the grace and blessings that come from Him.「I recall this to my mind, Therefore I wait.」As Christians, we will also face troubles. What sustains us in those troubles is God’s mercy and compassions .This is not an empty kind of optimism, but a hope that we must firmly believe in and patiently wait for.It allows us, even when our lives seem to have fallen into disorder, to become calm and stable and to regain our strength.

Let’s examine and search out our ways, And let’s return to the Lord. (Lam 3:40)

Jeremiah then turns his attention to calling the people to examine themselves and repent. When we encounter setbacks or suffering, our first reaction is often to complain and blame others. We may see ourselves as victims or quickly ask God, “Why me?”But here, Jeremiah gives us a constructive way to respond: self-examination.Instead of self-blame , we can treat suffering as an opportunity for a turning point in our lives. We can carefully examine ourselves and ask whether we have drifted away from God’s will, or whether there are areas of our lives that have begun to go in the wrong direction."Let’s examine and search out our ways, And let’s return to the Lord".

I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

(Phi 4:12-13 )

Finally, even when we feel surrounded by darkness, loneliness, and helplessness, we should still be willing to come before God and pour out to Him the anxiety, questions, and tears in our hearts.We should continue to pray to God, completely entrusting our pain and sense of injustice to the God who examines our hearts and carries out perfect justice.

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

(2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB2020)

By Chia-Chih Chang