“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest” (Psalm 22:1-2).
The words above, first penned by the psalmist King David, are more familiar to Christians as Christ’s anguished cry from the cross on Good Friday. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
We know the reason why. We know why Jesus was forsaken by his heavenly Father. We know why Jesus cried out in anguish and God did not answer him. It was for us. God forsook his Son instead of forsaking us, even though that is what we deserve. It was all so that God could promise us in his Word, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). It was all so that God could comfort us with his ever-presence in our lives.
What grace!
Are there still times when we echo the words of this psalm even now?
Perhaps you’ve experienced the feeling before that nothing seems to be going your way. Passed over for a promotion you worked so hard for. The check bounces, the rent is due, and the bills are piling up. Your spouse leaves you and isn’t coming back. The doctor calls, and it isn’t good news. Friends are nowhere to be seen when you need them most. A loved one is gone too soon, and you aren’t even able to say good-bye.
Those heartbreaking moments begin to pile up one by one by one. They weigh heavy on your back until you can’t take one more staggering step. It’s too much. With tears streaming down your face, you fall to your knees and cry out, “Why God? Why is this happening? Why aren’t you doing something? Help me!”
By all outward appearances, it might look as though God has forsaken you. If not forsaken, then at the very least it seems like he isn’t paying attention to your suffering or your struggles. It feels as if God is far-off and distant, tuned out and never-present, and you might begin to wonder: Perhaps God has abandoned me.
Those are the times when we also whisper the words of this psalm.
Dear Christian, remember your Savior’s anguished cry from the cross in those moments. Remember your Father’s unbreakable promises to you in his Word, and know—God is here. God is with you, even when it feels as if he’s not. No matter what you’re going through, no matter what struggles you’re facing—God has not forsaken you. He is not far off from saving you. He’s right by your side, helping, supporting, even carrying you—every step of the way.
Does that mean all of our problems and struggles go away? Of course not. Jesus tells us plainly in John 16:33 that we will have trouble in this world. But our comfort is found in knowing that Jesus has overcome the world! He gives us that same victory over sin, death, and the devil, freely out of his great love for us. That’s what we’re holding on to by faith through our lifelong journey home.
God forgives you. God saves you. God loves you. Never will he leave you, never will he forsake you. He is always with you. As the Sons of Korah would pen in another psalm, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Remember that, dear Christian. Cling to those words and know that they are true.
God is with us. All because of Jesus, Immanuel.
Looking for more gospel comfort in your devotional life? Where in the World Is God? is written for anyone facing adversity, discouragement, or fear. These uplifting devotions proclaim God’s Word with power and promise, letting the Bible answer your questions about life with a mix of compassion and candor.
Alex Brown is the marketing and content copywriter at Northwestern Publishing House. He has his Master of Divinity degree from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and enjoys reading, writing, and spending time in God’s creation.