"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men." (Lamentations 3:31-33 ESV)

Meditation:

John Calvin says, "hope is the foundation of patience". In this passage, we see that Jeremiah has hope. He has hope that the Lord will not forever afflict His people. All trials and adversities are temporary. The Lord will have compassion according to His unchanging and abundant love. There is a happy ending for all believers. The Lord's reluctant affliction is paternal. He is disciplining the evil out of us. He is building us for eternity- for the day we'll worship Him without any hindrance of sin. For now, we wait patiently and hopefully under the Lord's compassionate and fatherly care.