how did the prophet jeremiah see himself in relation to God and also his contemporaries?

Answer 1

The Prophet Jeremiah is considered to be the weeping Prophet.

This is how God saw Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 1: 4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak

Answer 2

Actually he had to deal with what the truth about Israel and what God was doing in his anger and reconciliation.He was very sorrowful for his country and himself.He found himself in places you and I would not be able to handle so I would imagine he had plenty of time to talk to God to get his head straight.Prophets bleed just like you and me.As for his contemporaries,there were Prophets with messages that I am sure he had respect for on the other hand he was thrown in prison in a sh** hole and that was the religious ones that said God was for them not against them.Jeremiah's message was God was going to put them in bondage and if they did not go they would die.He knew God would anvenge him of his enemies.