How many times have you heard this?
You know you are having a bad day, week, month, year… It seems everything possibly that could go wrong has gone wrong and your world is falling apart around you. And someone in the midst if this will say, “pray and ask God for guidance because He is good and He will rescue you from the tribulation you are in.”
Psalm 107: 1-9 says
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.
Yes OK the Bible does say that God will deliver those who cry out to him and feed the hungry and give the thirsty water. But in Exodus when the Israelites started out the first water they found could not be drunk because it was bitter. (Exodus 15:22-27 – of course God fixed this too…)
But what about the times it seems like God has left us? What about those times we have prayed and there seems to be no answer? Where is God when it seems like He is not there?
Of course I could offer the answers that no answer to prayer is actually an answer. Garth Brooks told us to thank God for unanswered prayers, because sometimes we ask for things that would not be good for us, and therefore God will not give it to us. He will always give us what we need and is in His mission not always what we want.
And then there is Mathew West’s Strong Enough. A song about how we are not strong enough to do this life alone, and that we need to rely on the strength of God to get us through. And I can agree with this on an intellectual level always, but sometimes it disconnects with where I am. I know it is true, I’ve seen it several times in the past and I know God will take care of us and He is in control of every situation and His will will be done.
But that still does not eradicate the suffering. That still does not take away the confusion. That still does not help me where I am – disconnected from the creator I want to feel deep within me and surrounding me. Where is God when I feel like He is no where to be found? How can I get to Him? I feel like Jesus on the cross crying out, “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me!” I’ve done what you asked and followed where you led me and did the things you told me to, and now I’m here all alone? Did you bring me here for what? Like the Israelites in the wilderness, brought out here to die of starvation in the wilderness?
aSacredRebel 