Jeremiah 15:10-14

10 Woe is me, my mother,
That you have borne me,
A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!
I have neither lent for interest,
Nor have men lent to me for interest.
Every one of them curses me.

11 The LORD said:
“ Surely it will be well with your remnant;
Surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you
In the time of adversity and in the time of affliction.
12 Can anyone break iron,
The northern iron and the bronze?
13 Your wealth and your treasures
I will give as plunder without price,
Because of all your sins,
Throughout your territories.
14 And I will make you cross over with[a] your enemies
Into a land which you do not know;
For a fire is kindled in My anger,
Which shall burn upon you.”
Jeremiah 15:10-14 NKJV

In verse 10 Jeremiah seems to be discouraged. The messages from the Lord telling of the sad things that are coming has made him unpopular. While he is faithful to pass the messages along from the Lord, he is not appreciated by the recipients of the messages of warning. The people curse him and plot to kill him. He is held in the same contempt as if he were either a loan shark or a deadbeat who refuses to pay legitimate debts. When we are faithful in obeying and following the Lord, it is natural that those opposed to God will be opposed to us. Discouragement at being unfairly reviled by others is also natural. Those who seem to most hate us are those to whom we are trying the most to help and to whom we are called upon to pass along God's words for their betterment. We are faithful in our duty, yet it seems the only reward we get are attacks upon us and our character. Jeremiah was hated for the messages he spoke. The leaders of Judah and the common people alike grew to hate him. He called for repentance, and most did not want to repent. He pointed out that the end of God's patience was coming with disastrous results for Judah, but everyone preferred to think that peace would be upon them despite their wickedness.
In verse 11 the Lord gives Jeremiah a word of encouragement. God tells Jeremiah that while those who should have been his friends curse him, those who are considered his enemies will help him. It is a prophecy to him of the treatment of the Babylonians after the capture of Jerusalem when Jeremiah was given his freedom while the people were taken away to their captivity. While the rest of the people lose everything they consider worthwhile at the hand of the Chaldeans, Jeremiah is allowed to choose for himself where he will go and is treated with respect. I understand Jeremiah's discouragement, as such feelings come upon me when I try to do good and am rewarded with what seems to me to be unfair resentment or mistreatment by others. It is a common theme in the stories that God has given us. Noah, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, and most of all Jesus, were all rewarded for their goodness with evil, often by those whom should have been most grateful. When I look upon their lives and the struggles and the faithfulness that they demonstrated I can be encouraged. The final reward of those faithful to God will be glorious. Sometimes we are rewarded on this earth and sometimes we are only rewarded in the next life. Hope is expressed to Jeremiah of better treatment ahead, and I can also have hope that God will be with me and reward me.

Lord,
Help me to trust in You when things seem dark and hopeless. Help me to know that just as You were with those in times past, so You will be with me. I know I need to be faithful to You, give me the strength and the courage to obey You in all that I do. Give me the strength and wisdom to walk with You through any troubles that come upon me. Give me the character that Jesus had, so that I may be a faithful child to You.