Psalm 22:1b “Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?’

[This is how David felt: he received no immediate answer to his prayer, had no sense of God’s presence, no visible support, no help, no guidance. For David, this was a feeling, but it was not the truth. This was also true for Jesus on the cross: when He became sin for us, You, Father, turned your back on him, you were far from Him. You did not save Him from this suffering, because you Three had a greater plan.

So it is with us, as it was with my wife Barbara in her depression, you send us through that suffering because you have a bigger, wider plan than our being comfortable, a plan which will accomplish much more and in a better way than what we desire.

You gave us the pattern for this in the life of Job, who, suffering seemingly senseless loss, but was actually playing a huge role in the cosmic battle and in bringing future comfort to millions across the millennia.

Psalm 22:2 “O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and you are silent.”

[There are times when our prayers seem to go no further than the ceiling. These times are the of testing of our faith, a call to rest in the certainty of the Lord’s goodness when there is no visible sign of it.

Jesus demonstrated this kind of faith on the cross and in His descent into death. Becoming sin for us, He was far from you, Lord, but, in the midst of His separation He also trusted you fully, following through with your plan.

Glory be to you for your great wisdom and your persistence in carrying out your perfect plans. Help us to walk in faith, embracing those times of your silence, trusting you to act when the time is right.]

Pic: Barb in Depression