Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest
Yet you are holy,
    Enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them
To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
Psalm 22:1-5

Have you ever felt abandoned or left alone by God? I don't know about you but I have. Sometimes I look back on some of the more painful experiences of my life and I struggle to see God in them. In these moments the Enemy tries to come in and accuse God of being a good Father. I ruminate on questions like: Is God truly good if He would allow me to walk through that? Can He be trusted with my life, future, finances, and family?  

In Psalm 22 we read that David also questions God with honest and very human questions. When he is unable to hear and sense the Lord for himself he pivots his focus and recalls God's faithfulness to those in his family line. When he remembers how God was good and trustworthy in the past for them He is able to worship (even though things don't look so positive for him).

You may be questioning God's ability to come through for yourself and others. Perhaps, it's been difficult to sense His loving presence in the midst of challenging and painful circumstances. However, if we have learned anything from the life of David, we know that it is ok to express frustration to the Lord. There is no need to hide difficult or complex emotions/thoughts from God because He sees them anyway. If you find yourself stuck and not sure if God is with you, find someone who has walked with the Lord and has a history with God. Invite them into your own spiritual journey and share the places you have been stuck. Perhaps their testimony may be able to shed light on yours.

Prayer and Action Steps:

1. Ask the Lord to highlight a man or woman of faith to "interview" (preferably someone of the same sex). See if they would be willing to share their testimony with you. Perhaps there is something the Lord wants to reveal to you through their story of faith.
2. Prayerfully ask the Lord where's He's been in the last 24 hours for yourself and your family. Wait on Him for answers and write them down.
3. Thank Him for the ways He's provided for you and others. Then ask Him where you can be of help to someone else in need this week.
4. Listen to song History by Maverick City