God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
If you are anything like me then you have asked this question hundreds of times; especially, if you try to live by faith and faith doesn't seem to be working. The answer to this question is the same for everyone and yet different. Sound like double talk? Well, let me explain. God never changes, and His word is absolute, therefore trustworthy. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. “(Heb. 13:8) Our feelings will inevitably get in our way regardless of how hard we try to live by faith. Some control their emotions better than others. I sometimes get angry with God If the outcome isn't what I expected. I face this dilemma every time I play a round of golf. If I have a good game, I'm just sure God has been instrumental in my success. If I have a rotten game, which is most of the time, then I know God has abandoned me to a legion of demons who have caused my demise. Sound trivial? It is! But, important to me and I am so angry it will take a day for me to ask God to forgive my foolishness. The point is, my emotions have clouded my better judgment and altered, but not diminished my faith. There are obviously more serious matters at stake and if we are going to trust God with our lives and the lives of those we love then we must learn to override our feelings and live by the promises God has made. Only He knows the beginning from the end, and He has our best interest at heart.
Would it make you feel better to know that some very prominent people have asked the question, God, why have you forsaken me? David, a man after God's own heart and full of faith was in constant trouble because of poor judgment. “My God, my God, why have you left me? You seem too far away to save me, too far to hear my cries for help!” (Ps.22:1) David depended on God all of his life but was out of joint most of the time, and he would blame God for the jams he got himself into. “My strength has drained away like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart melts like wax; my strength has dried up like sun-baked clay; my tongue sticks to my mouth, for you have laid me in the dust of death. (Ps. 22:14,15) Sound familiar? We all find ourselves in this predicament on occasion. Just remember faith is enduring and can be altered but not lost. Our emotions can separate us from God for short periods but never sever the ties.
Even Jesus in his humanity wondered if God had abandoned him in his darkest hour. “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”(Matt.27:46) Thank God, Jesus overcame his feelings and completed his mission for our benefit. It is very important to remember that God will always forgive a repentant heart. It is one thing to have emotional setbacks another to reject and curse God in your heart. Job feared his sons had left God and prayed for them continually. “Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts.” (Job 1:5) For more about who God is and your relationship with Him read “Study More” found on this website.
