"My transgressions were bound into a yoke ..." Lam 1:14 (ESV)

In the book of Lamentations, we see that God's people are wasted by their tormentors. Why?

Here are reasons from the first chapter:
transgressions - 1:5, 14, 22
sin - 1:8
uncleanness - 1:9
rebellion - 1:18, 20

Don't overlook this because of its simplicity.
Don't overlook this because of its repetitious nature.

The prophets warned that these things would happen - and they did.

They will today too. Are we above rebellion and transgression? When we devote our lives to Christ we repent from our former deeds and live as God wants us to. We start to cut out sins: no more cussing, no more pornography, no more sinful friends.

Then comes the hard part: speaking with kind words, keeping our eyes from our neighbors, and avoiding time at the water-cooler.

Yes, Israel & Judah were involved with idolatry - but they were also severely punished for "normal" stuff like Injustice & Negligence (Isaiah 1:17). Let's keep our eyes open to our own behavior (James 1:22-25) and our hearts pure with God (Matthew 5:8).