The author is very clear in 2:1-8 that God, Himself, is behind all of the suffering of Jerusalem. Even these terrible circumstances are firmly in his control, and would not happen without his consent. What does this mean for us, as Christians? What are the implications of the reality that God is sovereign over sin and suffering?

How can it be that a good, kind, loving God would allow evil and suffering in the world?How are we, as Christians, to make sense of the world we live in? How are we to reconcile it with our theology?

This chapter paints a very vivid picture of God’s judgment, vengeance, and wrath. What is the difference between divine wrath and human wrath?

In 2:10-11, the people of Jerusalem respond to the judgment of God with weeping and mourning. How would you articulate the role of lament and mourning in the Christian life? Are you comfortable with lament? How can we make room for it in our lives, and the lives of others?

2:14 seems to indicate that the leaders in Jerusalem bear a particular responsibility for the city’s downfall. How does this speak to our responsibilities to one another as Christians? What would it look like for us to lead and love well within our spheres of influence (family, friends, neighbors, work, etc.)?

Lamentations 2 is calling us to brutal honesty (with respect to suffering and hardship in our lives), and to ruthless trust (in the sovereignty and goodness and character of God). What are some ways that we can be faithfully demonstrating these respective postures? What are some ways where we might be at risk of failing to do so?

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