May 29 – Facing the Future with Hope

 Lamentations 3:22–23

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (NIV)

SITREP:
What do you do when yesterday feels like too much to carry into today? Each new day is a fresh start, filled with God’s mercy. No matter what yesterday held, today is an opportunity to walk in His hope.

These words weren’t written in a moment of peace—they were penned in the ashes of war. Jerusalem had been destroyed, its people scattered, and the prophet Jeremiah, believed to be the writer of Lamentations, stood among the ruins with a broken heart and a soul weighed down by grief. He had every reason to stay in despair. And for much of the book, he does.

But then something shifts.

Right in the middle of all that sorrow, Jeremiah makes a defiant declaration of faith: “Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed.” It’s the turning point in the middle of a breakdown. He’s not ignoring the pain—he’s anchoring himself to the only thing that hasn’t collapsed: God’s mercy.

Breaking Down the Verse:

• “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed” – The war may have wrecked your surroundings, your plans, or even your sense of self—but it didn’t destroy you. God’s love is the reason you’re still standing.
• “His compassions never fail” – Unlike human patience, God’s compassion isn’t measured out by performance. He doesn’t get fed up with your stumbles. His love stays—even when yours falters.
• “They are new every morning” – Every sunrise is another chance. You’re not stuck in what happened yesterday. God doesn’t run out of grace. He restocks it daily.
• “Great is Your faithfulness” – God is steady. Reliable. Not moody. Not absent. Not conditional. His track record speaks for itself: He shows up. Always.

How This Reboots a Soldier’s Faith:

You know what it’s like to wake up with yesterday still hanging on you. Regret, guilt, failure—these things don’t just clock out at midnight. They follow you. They whisper to you in the silence. And if you’re not careful, they start shaping who you believe you are.

But here’s the truth from this verse:

• That thing you did? Doesn’t disqualify you.
• That memory you hate? Doesn’t define you.
• That weight you’re carrying? Isn’t yours to hold forever.

God didn’t sign off on your destruction. He doesn’t give up on the wounded. In fact, His compassion shows up in full force when you’re most broken. He doesn’t wait for you to get it together—He meets you right where you are, in the wreckage, and offers something new.

Each morning, whether it finds you in peace or panic, carries a delivery from heaven: mercy, restocked and ready.

You’re not running on spiritual leftovers. You’re walking in today’s fresh supply.

And if yesterday was a disaster? Then today’s mercy is all the more precious.

ENDEX:
The fact that you woke up this morning is proof—God is not finished with you. Lamentations 3:22–23 is your spiritual resupply drop: mercy that never runs dry, compassion that never clocks out, and a fresh start that doesn’t depend on your perfection. Yesterday may have tried to break you, but today? Today belongs to mercy.

AAR (After Action Review):
Think back to a day you didn’t think you’d survive—but you did. That wasn’t luck. That was mercy. Share how God’s new compassion showed up in your life—how He met you in your mess and gave you a clean slate. That story might be the reminder someone else needs to believe they still have a future.

Make your voice count—share what you’ve lived.

Share your experiences in the comments below. Your words could encourage someone else walking a similar path.

If you're comfortable, include as much or as little personal detail as you’d like. We suggest:

• Name
• Veteran, Retired, Family Member etc.
• Service Branch
• Years of Service (or Deployment Dates and Locations)

Every story matters—and yours might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.