How the Gold Has Grown Dim

Lamentations 4

The book of Lamentations is one of the more difficult books to interpret. One reason may be that many of us are not used to expressing our suffering openly. We are often taught to struggle and fight alone—and only when we’ve overcome our problems and clearly felt God’s help do we feel qualified to testify. We become confused or uncomfortable when people share struggles without a clear resolution.

Ecclesiastes 3 says that everything is beautiful in its time. But beauty is not limited to happy moments—like birthdays or celebrations—it also exists in times of sorrow. Why? Because both joy and suffering have been ordained and woven by God. Yet in this life, we often perceive God’s goodness only once our struggles are resolved—when we graduate, when a child recovers from illness, etc. It seems like God is only good after the pain is over, and only then do we want to testify.

We must grow in our understanding that life, in its entirety, is led and woven by God—not just the joyful moments. If we only see God in the good, our gratitude will be limited, and our faith shallow. Is our relationship with God meant to consist only of gratitude? The Psalms teach us how to truly relate to God—over 60 chapters are filled with lament. When was the last time we lamented before God? When did we last pray with tears?

We often hide our sorrow because we live in a culture that values strength and composure—this is true for both men and women. One of the lessons from Lamentations is that stoicism is not the gospel. Many believe they must maintain an image, only testifying when victorious. They avoid talking about God in the midst of suffering, failure, or exile—as Israel did in Lamentations. They believe testimony should come only after success. But this is not biblical; it is man-made doctrine.

Our God is not weak—He is powerful and present at all times, not just in good ones. Lamentations portrays Israel in a state of despair. In chapter 3, God is described as an enemy who directs His arrows at His people. This is a challenging image—not the comforting, gentle God we often prefer—but He is still God. Even in His anger, He remains sovereign.

Spiritual growth happens when we can accept hardship as from God’s hand—not just from the enemy. This is difficult. It’s easier to blame the devil than to see suffering as something allowed by God. Yet Job said to his wife: “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”. Job lost everything—wealth, livestock, children—and never once blamed people. He accepted his suffering from God. It’s easy to relate to God in good times, but it’s far harder when we’re hurting or ashamed.

But beware of the attitude of surrendering to difficult circumstances. That too is a form of stoicism—disguised as reform. Why? Because it avoids facing pain honestly before God. Some believe that expressing suffering will confuse their image of God’s goodness. But that attitude stunts growth. True growth happens when we’re willing to relate to God in the unpleasant times, not just in the happy moments.

Many avoid turning to God in difficult times. Instead, they blame their circumstances, government, environment, others—or even themselves—because they’re afraid their faith will be shaken. But Lamentations show us: we are allowed to accuse God. He invites it—not because He is weak, but because He is strong enough to hear our complaints. We are encouraged to be honest with Him.

Think of your family: can you maintain a perfect image all the time? Of course not. We are free to express ourselves within the family because trust, love, and forgiveness are present. Do we not see God—our Father in Heaven—as part of that kind of family? Must we constantly maintain an image before Him?

There’s no point in hiding from God—He already knows everything. If we can be honest with our spouse, parents, or children, how much more can we be open with God? This isn’t about grumbling every day, but about cultivating honesty and responsiveness before Him. That is the beauty of lament.

Lamentations 4:1–10 highlights a deprived state—especially of the children of Israel. A sign of spiritual maturity is the awareness to care for the weak. Parenthood doesn’t automatically make someone spiritually mature, but sensitivity to the needs of children and the vulnerable is a mark of true spiritual growth.

Lamentations 4:11–16 echoes chapter 1, acknowledging the sins that led to Jerusalem’s destruction. This aligns with Deuteronomistic theology: blessings follow obedience, and curses follow disobedience. Israel saw their suffering as just punishment for sins committed from generation to generation. This perspective also reflects spiritual maturity.

Often, we feel we don’t deserve injustice, while at the same time saying (in theory) that we are sinners. I once shared the story of an Indonesian lawyer wrongly imprisoned. He said, “Maybe I didn’t commit that crime, but in my life, I’ve surely done wrong." Injustice often narrows our focus to the moment—but who among us has never sinned? Maybe at that moment we did nothing wrong, but what about other moments? Why do we demand God to be fair only on the day we believe we are right?

It’s good to introspect when suffering. There’s nothing wrong with being self-critical. Scripture calls “foolish” the person who is punished by God and learns nothing from it. C.S. Lewis once said that when God brings us suffering, it is as if He is using a megaphone—because we can no longer hear His ordinary speech. But how unfortunate it is if we still cannot hear Him, even when He uses a megaphone. In Lamentations 4:17–20, Jeremiah associates himself with Israel’s suffering. Though he was obedient, he did not separate himself from the people. A similar incident occurred during the time of the prophet Elijah, who prophesied that there would be no rain in Israel for seven years because the people worshipped Baal. This prophecy was not only experienced by Israel but also by Elijah himself, a faithful prophet of God. From this, we see that even though Jeremiah was obedient, he stood in solidarity with God’s sinful people because he, too, experienced their suffering. Isn’t this also a reflection of Christ, who took upon Himself the punishment for human sin?

Jeremiah doesn’t become self-righteous or judgmental. Judgmentalism may feel satisfying, but it has no place in true Christianity. Just imagine if our God were a God of self-righteousness—excluded from human suffering and judgment. Of course, there would be no work of salvation. He would only judge, without offering redemption. Isn’t this self-association beautiful?

Finally, in Lamentations 4:21–22, we see the end of Israel’s punishment and the beginning of Edom’s judgment. God’s truth and justice are complete—they cannot be revealed only within Israel’s territory but must extend to all nations. The punishment began with Israel because they were the ones who had received the law. They knew correct doctrine, understood God’s teachings, and therefore were held to a higher standard. The Bible says that judgment begins in the house of God—not in the house of prostitution—because God’s people know the truth.

God will judge and deal with Israel first because they are His chosen people—those He loves, not those He has abandoned. We should rejoice if God still disciplines us, because it confirms that we are loved by Him more than those He leaves to themselves. The sign that a nation is still loved by God is that there are still servants of God who rebuke sin. On the other hand, a nation that is abandoned by God is marked by silence—no more rebuke, no more warning.

Sadly, many reject corrections because they don’t understand the love behind it. When someone else rebukes our child, we’re upset. But when we do it, it’s out of love. Correction without love is hard to accept—but blessed is the one who understands God’s love and welcomes His discipline.

In Lamentations 4:22, judgment ends. But does this mean it’s time to celebrate? No—grief takes time to transition into joy. Just as no one dances at a funeral, restoration after suffering requires space. God’s comfort must follow, and only then does true joy come. May we be willing to walk through the process and receive His healing. God bless us. (G.N.S.)