The Refrain Of Silence

”Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.” Psalm 22:1,2

There have been times in m life where this passage has been true, as I am sure it has been for you. Bowing your head at church, or in He silence of your home, you entreat God and the skies are silent, and you wonder why? You remember the stories of God’s faithfulness, and ask, “why not me? Why won’t you show yourself to me?” And your pain simmers beneath the deafening silence of your heart.

God’s silence can rock your faith, as you see the smiles of those he has blessed and begin to believe “I’m just not good enough.” “If only I would have?” Or “Giving more money, time, and effort would illicit His kindness.” But to no avail, all promises and effort still come up short. Why bother?

The psalm actually begins with this verse, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The very words Jesus spoke on the cross. In his agony he cried out, uttering the words that we sing. The refrain of silence. Jesus is our advocate because he knows what we go through. He knows that there are seasons of pain brought about by variables too numerous to count. Some of our own doing and some of it not. Either way the outcome is the same — silence. Not because God doesn’t care, but because there is a bigger picture we can’t see.

For Jesus, it was to deal the final blow to sin and death once and for all. His endurance was for our hope. His abandonment for our acceptance. 

For us, “Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2,3. 

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-28.

There is much we can still do to alleviate the pain in our lives, but the true remedy is in he cross of Jesus. Seek Him in your distress and you will find peace. I’m just saying...