Five Keys to Enduring Pain

Jeremiah 15:10-21

The Confessions of Jeremiah, part 2

Life is very painful and probably more painful than we thought it would be, but the Prophet Jeremiah can help us through our own pain. In the midst of his agony in ministry, he says, “Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed?” (Jeremiah 15:18a).

When God called Jeremiah, He told Jeremiah that ministry was going to be difficult. Howevef, Jeremiah did not anticipate just how hard it would be. This is the reason for these “Confessions of Jeremiah.”¹ They are really words of “Lord, I did not know it was going to be this hard!”

Jeremiah and God have unique, direct, and honest conversations where neither holds back but says exactly what is on their minds. They both lay it all on the line.

Their conversation hits a boiling point in this passage as Jeremiah called God a liar and God responded that Jeremiah must repent if he would continue as a prophet (Jeremiah 15:18-19). In the midst of his deep hurt, Jeremiah shows us five keys to enduring pain in life, ministry, marriage, or any other circumstance.

Refuse Self Pity!

In private moments Jeremiah wallowed in pity and wondered what his life was good for. From his perspective, he only inspired others to curse and hate him. He says, “Woe is me, my mother that you have borne me, a man of strife and contention.” Since Jeremiah’s call dated from his mother’s womb, to speak ill of the day of his birth was equal to rejecting his prophetic call (Jer.15:10a).

Jeremiah felt he did not deserve such scorn. Specifically, he mentioned that he dealt honestly with money. While money is often a reason for conflict with others, Jeremiah complained that he had not meddled in monetary affairs to be an offense to anyone (Jeremiah 15:10b). Nevertheless, everyone cursed him. Jeremiah wondered why.

God responded to Jeremiah that his enemies would ask him for counsel during the coming dark days of the yet to come Babylonian invasion. In effect, God said, “They may be cursing you now, but they will need your help when the going gets tough, so do not feel sorry for yourself. When they see everything that you have been prophesying come to pass, they will ask for your advice!” (See Jeremiah 37:3, 17; Jeremiah 42:2-3).

Remember Your Motive for Ministry, v.15

Jeremiah asked God to remember him in his painful plight. He knows the Lord knew exactly what was going on: “remember me, and visit me … know that for Thy sake I have suffered rebuke.” As Jeremiah remembered his motive for service to God, he asked God to remember him as He had His servants in the past (Genesis 8:1; 19:29; 30:22). It is easy to forget the reason we serve God, so Jeremiah’s reinforcement of his ministry motive challenges us to remember that what we do is for His sake and glory alone.

Rejoice in God’s Word, v.16

God’s word has power to pierce through the pain of this life, give light in darkness, and gladness on gloomy days. Jeremiah shows us that we must personally digest God’s Word. Jeremiah and Jesus tell us that God’s Word is real food for our soul that we need to digest for daily deliverance, joy, and rejoicing (Jeremiah 15:16; Matthew 4:4). In the midst of life’s pain, we must always return to the word of God and find joy that this world cannot give nor take away.

Repent when you Cross the Line!

Jeremiah accused God of being as a “liar, and as waters that fail” (Jeremiah 15:18). Incredibly, Jeremiah charged God with being like a deceitful brook who had not lived up to His promises. Remember that Jeremiah preached that the people of his day had forsaken God who was like a living fountain for broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:14). Nevertheless, here, Jeremiah himself wondered whether God was a fountain or a dried up brook. If we are candid with ourselves we may sometimes wonder the same thing.

The discouraged prophet’s near blasphemous charge against God crossed the line. God counseled his prophet in perpetual pain: return to Me if you want to continue as my prophet (Jeremiah 15:19). Jeremiah’s harsh complaints put his calling into jeopardy. He overstepped his bounds. If he repented, God could still use him, but he had to change his thinking.

Jeremiah had called upon God’s people to repent many times and to return to God, but now God called on Jeremiah to repent. God told Jeremiah to speak forth His words which are precious and do not speak your words, which are vile. Jeremiah must not let the world drag him down to their level.

Rest in God’s Sure Promises

In the last verses of Jeremiah 15, God reaffirmed His promise to Jeremiah that He would protect, save, and deliver His servant (Jeremiah 15:19-21). God reminded Jeremiah of the promise He first made in Jeremiah 1:8, 19 when he called Jeremiah, and His promise was still trustworthy.

Jeremiah shows us that it is virtually impossible to anticipate fully the pain that life will throw at us. There will be challenges, but as we refuse self-pity, remember our motive for ministry, rejoice in God’s Word, repent when we cross the line, and rest in God’s promises, we can endure life’s pain.

Part One is Here.

Matt Recker is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in New York City.

1. You can find the confessions of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-6; 15:10-12, 15-21; 17:14-18; 18:18-23; 20:7-13; 14-18. The first four of these confessions also reveal God’s personal counsel to Jeremiah in his agitated state. Part one of this series dealt with the first two confessions. [↩]