Yet…

September 5, 2023

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet… Psalm 22:1-3a NLT

Whose words are these? Who is deeply groaning and grieving over the silence of God, so much so that it feels like abandonment? That’s King David, a man the Bible says was a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

Whose words are recorded in the New Testament, quoting David? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). That’s Jesus when He was dying a sacrificial death on the cross in cooperation with His Father God for the salvation of the world.

When I’m feeling the silence of God so deeply it threatens to overwhelm me, it helps me to remember I’m not the first or by far the best to experience it. Through numerous deeply painful situations in my own life, I have discovered on my own that my circumstances do not determine God’s faithfulness or His presence with me. He may not speak in the way I was hoping or give me direction as quickly as I wish, but He is eternally invested in me. He feels my pain and He cares. I get help when I choose to be honest with God. God knows how I feel, but it helps to tell Him because it grows the relationship. Prayer is not sharing information with Him—it is relating to Him. We find many painfully honest prayers in the Bible. Tell myself the truth.

Experiencing pain and negative emotions is not sinful. What I DO with those negative emotions is what’s important. It’s important that I don’t stuff and hide them. It’s vital that I don’t dump them on other people or spill them on social media. It’s vital to look at the YET. Read the rest of Psalm 22. David’s “yet” reminded him that God was holy and faithful. He did a quick review of his nation’s history and his personal history and found evidence that God always came through. After he rehearses unashamedly again what he feels could happen, he declares confidently that God is working. There will be an end to this hard time one way or another, and when it ends, he will be standing in the strength of the Lord.

He forecast a blessed future. As he looks to the future with eyes of faith, he says he will tell his story of rescue to anyone who will listen. David says he will make a big deal to his children and future generations about the utter trustworthiness of God, and they will respond by serving God. He is so committed to long-term testimony that he says, “Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done” (Psalm 22:30-31 NLT). What a perspective! What a YET!

• Jesus, when I am experiencing negative emotions, I want to turn to the powerful “YET.” You are always faithful and on time with the right answer. Help me remember.