Words of joy

Possibly we have all read about the prophet Jeremiah and we remember all the situations that he had to face many times because he was a prophet of God for the people of Israel, a people who often felt corrupt and hard to hear, and this turned many of the prophet’s scenarios into bitter, hard, difficult and humiliating.

The Bible tells us very clearly about Jeremiah, from his call to be a prophet to his great prophecies so that the people of Israel understood the words of God, and tells us about those bitter moments he had to go through to give the Word of God. Imagine for a moment that in the church that you are attending you talk about what the Bible says and nobody wants to hear. It happened to Jeremiah that he spoke the word of God and the people of Israel did not want to listen, they did not believe in his words and this led him to be imprisoned on certain occasions and at such a hard level of impotence and pain that he even had to curse the day of his birth.

But beyond those hard moments he received words of joy from God. Let’s see these biblical verses:

15 O Lord, You know; Remember me and visit me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In Your enduring patience, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15:15-16

It is good that in those difficult times we are going through we do not let the trials be above our faith in God, but we can keep believing the God we have served, and we can pronounce the same words of Jeremiah: “For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts”. We must bear His name, we are His children, His people and He is Almighty God.

Jeremiah’s experience reminds us that faithfully serving God does not mean we will always be applauded or understood. Many times obedience will take us through paths of loneliness, misunderstanding, and even rejection. Yet, in the midst of all this, God never abandoned the prophet. On the contrary, He strengthened him with His word and reminded him that his calling had a divine purpose. In the same way, when we face opposition for speaking the truth or living according to the Scriptures, we must remember that God sees our heart and knows our battles.

The prophet’s tears were not a sign of weakness but of deep sensitivity to God’s voice. Jeremiah loved God so much that the spiritual condition of the people caused him great pain. This shows us that true ministry flows from a heart that feels what God feels. When we see our generation turning away from the truth, we must not respond with anger or hopelessness, but with a burden that leads us to pray and remain firm in our assignment.

Jeremiah also discovered that the Word of God was his greatest source of joy. He said, “Your words were found, and I ate them,” meaning that he received them, meditated on them, and made them part of his entire being. This teaches us a powerful lesson: the Word of God is not just information; it is sustenance, strength, and life for the believer. When we internalize Scripture, our perspective changes, our faith grows, and our heart finds delight even in seasons of adversity.

Today, many believers face their own “Jeremiahs moments”—times when circumstances seem unfair, when people misunderstand their intentions, or when walking in obedience feels costly. But just as God encouraged Jeremiah, He also encourages us through His promises. He reminds us that His plans are greater than our trials and that nothing we endure is unnoticed by Him. Every tear, every prayer, every act of obedience has value before the eyes of the Lord.

Therefore, when trials come, instead of doubting, let us cling to the truth that we are called by His name. This identity gives us confidence and courage. Being children of God means that we walk under His protection, under His purpose, and under His covenant love. And if the prophets endured suffering yet remained faithful, we too can persevere by trusting in the One who sustains us.

May Jeremiah’s testimony inspire us to remain steadfast in our faith, to value the Word of God as our greatest treasure, and to remember that even in the midst of the hardest trials, God is shaping our character and fulfilling His purpose in our lives.