God’s Faithful Love: The Anchor That Holds Through Anything

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.“
(Lamentations 3:22–23, ESV)

We live in a world of broken promises.

• Marriage vows are abandoned.
• Friends betray confidences.
• Employers break commitments.
• Leaders fail to follow through.

We’ve all been let down. And many of us have let others down too.

In a culture where “maybe” means “probably not” and “I’ll try” means “I won’t,” we hunger for something—someone—we can count on.

The Bible introduces us to that Someone: the God who keeps His word.

“God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?“
(Numbers 23:19, ESV)

God’s faithfulness is not like ours—fragile, conditional, inconsistent. His faithfulness is rock-solid, unchanging, and eternal.

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

“God’s promises are like the stars; the darker the night, the brighter they shine.”
— Charles Spurgeon

When everything around us crumbles, God’s faithfulness remains.

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1. Promises in the Dark: Jeremiah’s Context in Lamentations 3

Lamentations was written in the aftermath of Jerusalem’s destruction. The city was in ruins. The temple was burned. God’s people were exiled, traumatized, and devastated.

Jeremiah, often called “the weeping prophet,” sat in the ashes of his nation and poured out his grief:

“He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, ‘My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the LORD.’“
(Lamentations 3:16–18, ESV)

This is not shallow suffering. This is soul-deep agony. Jeremiah feels abandoned, crushed, hopeless.

But then—in the middle of his lament—something shifts:

“But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘therefore I will hope in him.'”
(Lamentations 3:21–24, ESV)

Notice: Jeremiah’s circumstances have not changed. Jerusalem is still in ruins. The exile is still happening. The pain is still real.

But Jeremiah calls to mind what he knows to be true about God—and it changes everything.

This is not denial. This is faith grounded in the faithfulness of God.

Even when everything around him screamed, “God has abandoned you,” Jeremiah clung to the truth: God is faithful.

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2. New Mercies, Same Faithfulness: “Great Is Your Faithfulness”

Let’s linger on Lamentations 3:22–23:

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.“

a) “The Steadfast Love of the LORD Never Ceases”

The Hebrew word here is chesed—God’s covenant love, His loyal, committed, unbreakable affection for His people.

It does not depend on our performance. It does not fluctuate with our feelings. It never ceases.

b) “His Mercies Never Come to an End”

God’s mercy is not rationed. It does not run out.

Every time you fail, every time you fall, every time you confess the same sin again—His mercy is still there.

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.”
(2 Timothy 2:13, ESV)

c) “They Are New Every Morning”

God does not treat you today based on who you were yesterday.

Each morning is a fresh start. Each sunrise is a testimony to God’s faithfulness.

Yesterday’s failures do not disqualify you from today’s grace.

d) “Great Is Your Faithfulness”

Not small. Not uncertain. Not conditional.

Great.

God’s faithfulness is magnificent, abundant, overwhelming.

Thomas Chisholm captured this beautifully in the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness, inspired by this very passage. We’ll return to it at the end.

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3. When We Are Faithless: God Remains Faithful

Paul writes to Timothy with a powerful reminder:

“The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.“
(2 Timothy 2:11–13, ESV)

This passage presents a paradox:

• If we deny Him, He will deny us. (This warns against apostasy—final, willful rejection of Christ.)
• If we are faithless, He remains faithful. (This comforts struggling believers who stumble but have not abandoned faith.)

The key is understanding the difference between denial (apostasy) and faithlessness (wavering, doubt, failure).

God Remains Faithful When We Struggle

God does not cut us off when we:

• Doubt His promises.
• Struggle with sin.
• Feel weak in faith.
• Fail to trust Him as we should.

Why? “He cannot deny Himself.”

God’s faithfulness is rooted in His character, not ours. He keeps His promises because of who He is, not because of who we are.

J.I. Packer writes:

“God’s purpose to save believers is not altered by their lapses.
The promise of final glory still stands.”
— J.I. Packer, Knowing God

This does not give us license to sin carelessly. It gives us confidence to confess freely, knowing that God will not turn us away.

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4. Holding Fast Because He Holds Us: Hebrews 10:23

The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers:

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.“
(Hebrews 10:23, ESV)

Notice the logic:

• Command: Hold fast to your hope.
• Reason: God is faithful.

We can hold on to hope because God holds on to us.

Earlier in Hebrews, the author writes:

“For he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’
So we can confidently say,
‘The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?'”
(Hebrews 13:5–6, ESV)

God’s promise is not:

• “I will never leave you if you’re strong enough.“
• “I will never leave you if you don’t mess up.“
• “I will never leave you if you keep your end of the bargain.“

It’s simply: “I will never leave you.”

Period.

John Newton, the former slave trader turned pastor, wrote:

“I am not what I ought to be,
I am not what I want to be,
I am not what I hope to be in another world;
but still I am not what I once used to be,
and by the grace of God I am what I am.”
— John Newton

God’s faithfulness is the anchor that keeps us steady when the storms rage.

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5. Walking by Promises, Not Feelings: Practicing Faith in a Faithful God

How do we live in light of God’s faithfulness?

a) Memorize and Meditate on God’s Promises

Jeremiah didn’t stumble into hope. He called to mind what he knew about God (Lamentations 3:21).

Fill your mind with God’s promises:

• “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
• “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” (Philippians 1:6)
• “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good.” (Romans 8:28)
• “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us.” (1 John 1:9)

When doubt whispers, preach God’s promises back to your soul.

b) Test God’s Faithfulness in the Small Things

God’s faithfulness is not just for big crises. It’s for daily life.

• Trust Him with today’s provision.
• Trust Him with today’s decisions.
• Trust Him with today’s temptations.

As you see His faithfulness in small things, your confidence will grow for the big things.

c) Confess Doubt Honestly

God is not offended by honest doubt. He welcomes it and strengthens us through it.

The father in Mark 9 cried out:

“I believe; help my unbelief!“
(Mark 9:24, ESV)

Jesus didn’t rebuke him. He answered his prayer.

When you struggle to trust, tell God. He is faithful even when you’re not.

d) Look Back and Remember

One of the most powerful spiritual disciplines is remembering God’s past faithfulness.

“I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”
(Psalm 77:11, ESV)

Keep a journal of answered prayers. Mark milestones of God’s provision. Tell stories of His faithfulness to your children.

Past faithfulness fuels present faith.

e) Encourage Others with God’s Faithfulness

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction,
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.“
(2 Corinthians 1:3–4, ESV)

Share your testimony. Tell others how God has been faithful to you. Your story may be the lifeline someone else needs.

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God’s Faithfulness in Every Season

In Prosperity

God’s faithfulness means:

• Your blessings come from His hand.
• You can thank Him without fear of loss.
• You steward what He gives with gratitude.

In Suffering

God’s faithfulness means:

• He has not abandoned you.
• He is working even in the pain.
• He will carry you through.

In Temptation

God’s faithfulness means:

• He provides a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13).
• He strengthens you to resist.
• He forgives you when you fall.

In Failure

God’s faithfulness means:

• You can confess without fear of rejection.
• You can rise again, forgiven and restored.
• Your identity is secure in Christ.

In Waiting

God’s faithfulness means:

• He has not forgotten you.
• His timing is perfect.
• He is preparing you for what’s ahead.

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Recommended Books on God’s Faithfulness

1. J.I. Packer – Knowing God
   A classic exploration of God’s character, including His faithfulness—warm, pastoral, and deeply biblical.
2. Nancy Guthrie – Holding On to Hope: A Pathway Through Suffering to the Heart of God
   Personal and profound reflections on trusting God’s faithfulness through profound loss.
3. Jerry Bridges – Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts
   Practical and compassionate guidance for trusting God’s faithfulness in difficult seasons.
4. Margaret Clarkson – Grace Grows Best in Winter
   A beautiful, poetic meditation on God’s faithfulness through suffering, written by a single woman who endured chronic pain.
5. Scotty Smith – Objects of His Affection: Coming Alive to the Transforming Power of God’s Love
   A pastor’s reflections on God’s faithful, pursuing love.

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A Hymn of God’s Faithfulness

Let these beloved words become your prayer and praise:

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

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Beloved, you serve a God who keeps His promises—every single one. When the world around you crumbles, when your faith feels weak, when the night is dark—His faithfulness remains. Great is His faithfulness. Morning by morning, new mercies you will see. Hold fast to Him, for He will never let you go.