The abundance of short, simple devotionals can be hard to sort through. Finding time each day to study the Bible can be tough, so we’ve compiled some good Bible verses to reflect on through verse reflections like this from Christian writers. Join us in learning about why the Bible matters and how God can speak to us through it.
God’s Not Listening
What can we do when everything’s going wrong? When we just want to cry out to God and ask, why are you letting this happen?
Well… sometimes, it’s best to do just that.
Check out Steven’s devo on the importance of lament.
Psalm 88:13-14
“But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me?”
Written by Steven Wierenga
This last year is about as close to Job’s life as my story’s been so far. My wife and I uprooted our lives in Colorado, moved back to Michigan, had a car die, and lost a close friend in an accident, all the while working three jobs to stave off rising costs of living. Our prayers of establishing normalcy and a semblance of routine have seemingly gone unheard.
We aren’t the only ones disappointed when God seems silent. The psalmist cries out from frustration, from a place of abandonment. Their friends have shunned them, and they’re not even sure God is listening– they might as well be talking to themself. Whatever the source of the psalmist’s pain, they believe God to be the main instigator.
The human will to press on in dire circumstances is impressive but, done without God, only leads to burnout and indifference. There can even be a sick solace in despair: surely no one else has it as hard as me!
Human attempts to numb our sorrow will lead to any number of dismal conclusions. The prayer of lament – like in Psalm 88 – is the healthiest (but hardest) way of coping with pain and grief. God searches our hearts and minds (Jer. 17:10); He knows our hurts and struggles. Bringing our pain to him is an acknowledgment of our frailty, our hurt, and our need for help.
Why It Matters
What do you do when you pour out your heart to silence, to a brick wall? While it may feel like we are doing just that, the very fact that God still hears our voices and knows our hearts is amazing. And when we want answers to our troubles, sometimes sitting in the silence of God’s apparent absence is the closest to God we can feel.
Simple Bible devotions are a great way to connect with God in the everyday. We’ve got verse reflections that help us see reasons why the Bible is relevant today. Visit this page to check them out!
