“Oh, the Wormwood and the Gall!”
Who among us has not uttered the words, “Oh, the wormwood and the gall!”
If you’ve been around the bible much, you might recognize these two words from
Lamentations 3:19. Wormwood is a bitter substance and is often used to represent the
consequences of sin. Gall is often associated with bitterness and suffering. When we
see these two words together we can be sure there is an experience being described as
intensely bitter.
When Suffering Feels Overwhelming
I recently had my own “wormwood and gall” event when I had to visit the ER. I had total
knee replacement in May and was dealing with consequences from the pain meds. I
had never been to the ER myself. May that be my last and final visit!
There was wormwood and gall everywhere, on and in every person who walked in. As I
sat in the wheelchair, waiting to be seen, you might be wondering if I began to think
about James 1:1-2, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds”.
No, I was not thinking about James at all. Did I sing, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, silently
at least? I didn’t do that either. All I thought about was how miserable I was.
Studying Lamentations 3:19-26
I’ve been thinking about all of this because I had just memorized Lamentations 3:19-26.
When I recovered and had my wits about me I set out to study this passage.
Jeremiah, who authored Lamentations, asks God to remember his afflictions, his
“wormwood and gall”. Jeremiah constantly remembers it and because of that, his soul
is “bowed down” within him.
Sickness, misery and groanings are all consequences of sin. Every single thing wrong
in the world can be traced back to the disobedience in the Garden of Eden.
Remembering God’s Faithfulness in Difficult Times
Right in the middle of recounting his miseries, it’s as if Jeremiah has a sudden light bulb
moment. He remembers something he has forgotten: “The steadfast love of the Lord
never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”
(Lamentations 3:22-23a; emphasis mine). Jeremiah stops looking at his “wormwood
and gall” and lets God be the “lifter of his head” (Ps 3:3). Jeremiah’s sufferings (and
ours) will come to an end, but God’s steadfast love and mercies never will. Jeremiah
knows that God’s mercies are sufficient for the day; for all that he will walk through.
God’s mercies are not left over from yesterday and they’re not borrowed from tomorrow.
They are brand new all day – not just in the morning!
The Lord Is My Portion: Finding Hope in God
One other important reminder that Jeremiah tells himself: “The Lord is my portion”. “Portion” is God’s all-sufficiency. God’s strength, provision and protection will be enough. His comfort will be enough. The only response to that realization is what Jeremiah writes next: “Therefore, I will hope in Him.” If God is going to meet Jeremiah at every turn and provide all that Jeremiah will need in the exact way and time that he
needs it, why wouldn’t he hope in his God?
How God Shows Mercy in Our Trials
Back to the ER. I wish I could tell you that I turned into Jeremiah as I was waiting and
being treated. Hardly. But later I remembered what Jeremiah remembered. In my
bible, verse 20 (“my soul continually remembers it” – the wormwood and the gall – “and
is bowed down within me”) is immediately followed by verse 21, (“but this I call to mind
and therefore have hope”). In my experience, my verse 21 did not immediately follow
my verse 20. There was quite a pause in-between. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s okay
to “count it all joy” days or even years later.
All I know is that the only thing I could do in that ER was ask God to help me. Now,
days later, I can see His mercies (good ER doctor, I was released before I starved to
death, and my incredible husband was by my side the entire time). I see those things
now and am thanking God for His mercies.
God’s Mercies Are New Every Morning
God’s steadfast love and new mercies never ceased that day that was “ordained for me
when as yet there was none of them” (Ps 139:16). It just took me a while to recognize
them.
No matter what “wormwood and gall” you are facing today, remember that His mercies are brand new. To help you dive deeper into finding joy and endurance during tough times, check out our James 1 Meditation Guide below.
Leave a Reply