“…they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’”
Psalm 42:3 & 10
Where in your life have you heard the taunt: “where is your God?” In the difficulty of your marriage? In the weariness of raising children? In the dysfunction of a workplace? In a troubling diagnosis? In the searing ache of grief and loss? In a personal sin struggle you can’t seem to get out of? Answer this question: where in your life are you tempted to believe that God is not with you?
The psalmist was in a dark place. He was “cast down” (v.5). He felt as if God had forgotten him (v.9). He had been weeping “day and night” because of his struggle (v.3). We do not know exactly what his situation was, but the result was similar to ours: he was tempted to believe that God was not present in his life.
In the difficulties of life, most of us live with what Paul Tripp calls a “gospel-gap” in our thinking.1 For one reason or another, we believe God has saved us in the past (conversion) and will save us in the future (heaven); but when difficulty arises in the present, our first instinct is to believe he has forsaken us! This “gap” comes out in the questions: “God, where are you?” “What are you doing?” Like the psalmist, we hear the taunts of our enemy, situations, or weaknesses: Ha! See! God is not with you. He would never allow you to go through something like this. He’s left you all alone with this mess!
We are creatures prone to despair. How have you given in to these lies? Where do you subtly allow pessimism to discount God’s grace working in the difficulties of life? The temptation is to equate difficulty with God forsaking us, and comfortability with God’s approval. We think, “if life is going good, God is with me.” Yet as soon as something is difficult, we groan: “God, where are you?”
We must rid ourselves of this thinking. In its place, we must run to the gospel that provides grace for the present moment. By faith, we must close the gospel-gap we have created with our doubts. Think of this: if God has saved you in the past from all your sin (and you are sure of it!), then why wouldn’t he also be working in the present? Romans 8:32 summarizes this truth: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Believer, if God has saved you from your sins—an eternal matter!—why would He forsake you in your circumstances—mere temporal matters? He proved His love and faithfulness by giving you His Son; don’t turn back now and believe He has left because of a trial!
Fellow Christian, close this gospel gap today. Respond to these doubts with Jesus’ promise: “behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20). For there, yes, even in the most broken places of life, He is working all things for your ultimate good: to be made more like Himself. You may not see exactly why things are this way, but trust in His goodness today.
He is with you always. Never once has He left.
1Lane, Timothy S. & Paul David Tripp. How People Change. New Growth Press. 2008.
So very encouraging and truthful! Thank you!