Not Forsaken

Written by Julie Cosgrove

Are you feeling overwhelmed by guilt? This is a safe place,talk to us.

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Psalm 37:5-6).

When we read about all the injustice in the world, it can get to the point that we ask, “Where is God in all of this?” The Hebrews asked that while enslaved in Egypt, then while being sent off to exile, while under the clutch of the Roman Empire and during the Holocaust. Slaves in the South asked it, as did the soldiers in the Civil War. Some asked it in the aftermath of 911. Some ask it as they hold their deceased loved one who was a victim of random violence, or intentional harm.  Others question as they hold their not perfectly formed child, like I did.

The answer is simple God is in our midst. Instead of asking where He is, ask Him to draw nearer.  Ask Him to show you rays of sunlight in the dark gloominess, to feel His warmth around your cold shoulders, to hear birds singing in spite of the deafening silence of grief.  Ask him to help you laugh again, even if just for a moment.  It is a matter of faith, but you can ask for that as well.

The verse right before this says if we draw near to God He will give us the desires of our heart.  That doesn’t mean wealth or fame, it means Him. He truly is all we need, and like the lilies of the field and the birds in the air, He will provide if we seek Him and His righteousness first.

So seek. As I said, it’s so simple, yet it can be so very hard, can’t it? Hard because our viewpoint is so limited to the here and now. God, on the other hand, sees all and knows all.  He has the timing worked out. We just need to hang on, trust and draw near to Him for comfort. Countless believers have. The Psalmist knew to do that. The next time you feel wronged or think that life is just not fair (guess what, it isn’t) read this Psalm 37 and take it to heart. It is soothing balm for a hurting soul.

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself (vs. 7) . . .  For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake his saints. (vs.28)

Questions: When you are losing your grip on trust and feel life is not fair, what Scripture verse, hymn or poem do you cling to?

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6 Responses to “Not Forsaken”

  • Shelley says:

    Like the Psalm-139=It lets me know how i am made and that is into His image.

  • Andrea says:

    To be honest I cling to this song by New Birth: I Never See the Righteous Forsaken, also Psalms 121 and 23 for strength when I feel my grip losing!

  • Cathy says:

    That is always the question, where is God? It is hard to remember he is right next to us when we are going through tough times.

  • Brenda says:

    Julie, thank you so much for the answer to the question, “Where is God in all of this?” I love the response you provided: “God is in our midst”! How often I forget that “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” [Hebrews 5:8, NLT] This is all I need to return to gratitude and thankfulness for all He has done for me, and to help me focus on His Word again instead of my own woes – which are never as bad when I can get outside of myself.

    You helped me today, Gail, and lifted my spirit, and I am grateful. God bless you!

  • Angela says:

    Psalm 62:5 “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (NLT)

  • Carryl says:

    Psalm 91 – sees me through every/all the time. How great is our GOD.

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