Bad experiences make us twitchy.  The more of them we have, the more we tend to expect them.  The more often we fall, the harder it is to look up.  The lower we get, the more we need some form of encouragement – someone to give us a reason to be brave.  If people cause our bad experiences, people begin making us twitchy.  As bad experiences multiply, so do our fears.  If we have a wide assortment of difficulties, it’s easy to believe that God Himself is behind them.  With relief we can say that He’s not.

When things were at their worst – and then got even worse than that, our hero Jeremiah prayed and heard God’s voice in response to his desperate cry.  As he shares his story, if we identify with his trouble, may we also take courage as we share his encouragement.

My enemies without cause
     Hunted me down like a bird.
They silenced my life in the pit
     And threw stones at me.
The waters flowed over my head;
     I said, ‘I am cut off!’
I called on Your name, O Lord,
     From the lowest pit.
You have heard my voice:
     ‘Do not hide Your ear
     From my sighing, from my cry for help.’
You drew near on the day I called on You,
     And said, ‘Do not fear!'”
                    – Lamentations 3:52-57 (NKJV)