Desperation, Resignation - Part 2 — Keith Daniel

I sat not in the assembly of the mockers. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced. I sat alone because of thy hand that thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual? Why is my pain perpetual?

Jeremiah Questions God’s Faithfulness

And my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar? Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail? Therefore thus saith the Lord. The next verse says, Therefore thus saith the Lord.

God’s Call to Return and Be Restored

Well, what can God say to a man in such a state as this? What can God say to a man in such a state as this? Therefore thus saith the Lord. If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me.

And if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be my mouth. What God said to Jeremiah in verse 19 are staggering words, beloved. They are staggering words. One of the greatest theologians in the history of the Church said that the most accurate interpretation, the most accurate interpretation of what God was actually saying, the meaning of the words that God was saying to Jeremiah in verse 19 would read like this,.

If you give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair, If you give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair, cleansing your own heart from unworthy suspicions concerning God's faithfulness, cleansing your own heart from unworthy suspicions concerning God's faithfulness, you shall be as my mouth.

But if you don't, child, I can never use you again. I will never use you again, child, if you don't. If you give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair, cleansing your own heart from unworthy suspicions concerning God's faithfulness, you shall be as my mouth, Jeremiah.

You shall be as my mouth. But if you don't, child, I cannot use you. I will not use you again, ever again. It would be the end of his ministry if he didn't do something about this distrust. I want us all to take careful note here.

God Does Not Remove Every Source of Suffering

I want us all to take careful note here. God does not come to this man. God does not come to this man and say, Oh, Jeremiah, I'm going to take out of your life and circumstances all the things that are hurting you.

God does not come to this man and say, Oh, Jeremiah, I'm going to take out of your life and circumstances all the things that are hurting you, the things you fear I should never have allowed to come in your life in the first place.

No, beloved, God does not come and say that to this man. These things were never meant to destroy you or your faith and trust in me, child. These things were never meant to destroy you or your faith and trust in me, child.

Though I allowed them, I allowed them. The apostle Paul realized why God allowed these things in his life. And he wrote in 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 7, lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations.

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh and God’s Sufficient Grace

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations that was given to me of thorn in the flesh. The messenger of Satan, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure for this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me, that it might depart from me.

And he said unto me, and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Glorying in Weakness for Christ’s Sake

In weakness, in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in distresses, for Christ's sake, am weak, then am I strong.

Jeremiah’s Bitterness Compared with Paul’s Perseverance

O beloved, Jeremiah sank in despair and bitterness in his difficulties and troubles. Jeremiah sank in despair and bitterness in his difficulties and troubles. But Paul, in the same difficulties, wrote in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 8, We are troubled, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, not distressed.

We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.