Hope and New Mercies: A Reflection on Lamentations 3
We are standing at the very beginning of a new year. And rather than rushing ahead with resolutions or planning, I want to begin with some very ancient wisdom from the book of Lamentations.
Times were hard. The people of Israel were living with the consequences of their disobedience. Many were in exile, and hope felt thin. And right in the middle of mourning over that sorrow, the writer says in chapter 3, verse 21:
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.”
Hope doesn’t come accidentally. It comes when we choose to remember what is true about God, even when our circumstances try to tell us a different story.
In the next verses, we’re given words to linger over:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
In this new year and in every new morning, there are new mercies.
That is the gift we receive whether it’s on the cusp of 2026 or a random Tuesday years from now. We hope, not because life is predictable but because God is faithful.
The writer goes on to add:
“The Lord is my portion… therefore I will hope in him.”
Our hope isn’t found in plans or productivity. Not in our energy or our ability to hold everything together.
Our hope is found in Jesus, the Living Hope, and in our faithful God who keeps His promises.
So I remind myself to step forward into this new year with a posture Scripture calls good:
“The Lord is good to those who wait for him…
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (vv. 25–26)
Later, the lament turns gently inward:
“Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord.
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven.” (vv. 40–41)
So, as we begin this new year, I’m choosing to call truth to mind. I’m choosing to hope in the Lord for this new year, this season, and all the ones to come.
And if today you feel expectant, weary, or somewhere in between, I invite you to join me.
In remembering.
In waiting.
In returning to hope.
And in trusting the God whose mercies will be new again tomorrow morning. And every tomorrow to come.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, as we pause and come into Your Holy Presence, we call Your promises to mind. We choose hope not because the way is clear, but because You are faithful.
Teach us to wait quietly. Help us lift our hearts and our hands to You. And thank You that You meet us, again and again, with mercies that are new every morning.
In the precious name of Jesus, amen.
Comment below if you’d like to share a verse, phrase, or thought that anchored you today.
