In Lamentations 1, Jerusalem is defeated, looted and destroyed. We have been told numerous times that the Lord Himself caused their suffering. Yet, Jerusalem does not complain, "The Lord is unjust." Rather, they confess "The Lord is righteous."

To process the grief which comes from suffering, you must believe truth. The first truth to believe: the Lord is always righteous, even when He causes our suffering.

OUTLINE:
I. Lamenting over sorrow and despair: 4 principles to help process the pain that comes from suffering (1:1-22)
• Go to God, narrating your loss (1:1-7)
• Confess your sin (1:8-11)
• Know the purpose to your suffering (1:12-17)
• Confess and believe truth (1:18-22)

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Pastor Andrew Reynolds
Preached at Bethel Baptist Church in Portland, OR on July 25, 2020.

Lamentations 1:18 "The LORD is righteous; For I have rebelled against His command; Hear now, all peoples, And behold my pain; My virgins and my young men Have gone into captivity."

o Faith is like muscle tissue: if you stress it to the limit, it gets stronger, not weaker.
o When God sends suffering into your life, it’s not just appropriate and righteous, it is necessary.

Life is not fair – it is not fair in my favor, because I get more than I deserve.
My trials have been fewer than my sins.

Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways.

Expository preaching: instruct the mind, ignite the affections, invite the will.