We Need to Look for the Lord Beyond the Fog of Our Doubts
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When God seems distant
When we gather with other believers, we usually put on brave faces and confident words to mask the fear, doubt, anguish, or anger churning in our hearts and minds. Each of us may think we are alone in this, but, of course, we are not.
It may feel like God is distant when we go through challenging times in life. Perhaps it’s an accumulation of difficulties that pile up on us and weigh us down. Some experiences in life are so severe, they overwhelm and consume every thought and feeling coursing through our minds and hearts.
It's easy to blame God when things are not going well. We pray and it seems our prayers are going up into an empty sky. Questioning God when He seems far away is common and this psalm echoes that.
A great beauty of the psalms is the open, honest expression of prayer seen throughout the collection of 150 songs of prayer and praise. Sometimes the honesty is surprisingly raw, and it may make us feel uncomfortable when we read them. And yet, they ring true in our spirit.
Scripture
For the choir director; al tashcheth; a psalm by Asaph; a song.
Loudly, I cried to God. Loudly, I cried to God so that he would open his ears to hear me.
On the day I was in trouble, I went to the Lord for help. At night I stretched out my hands in prayer without growing tired. Yet, my soul refused to be comforted.
I sigh as I remember God. I begin to lose hope as I think about him. Selah
You keep my eyelids open. I am so upset that I cannot speak. [vss 1-4]
I have considered the days of old, the years long ago. I remember my song in the night and reflect on it. My spirit searches for an answer:
Will the Lord reject me for all time? Will he ever accept me? Has his mercy come to an end forever? Has his promise been canceled throughout every generation?
Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he locked up his compassion because of his anger? Selah
Then I said, “It makes me feel sick that the power of the Most High is no longer the same.”
I will remember the deeds of the Lord. I will remember your ancient miracles.
I will reflect on all your actions and think about what you have done. [vss 5-12]
O God, your ways are holy! What god is as great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles. You have made your strength known among the nations.
With your might you have defended your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
Your road went through the sea. Your path went through raging water, but your footprints could not be seen.
Like a shepherd, you led your people. You had Moses and Aaron take them by the hand. [vss 13-15, 19-20]
(Psalm 77:1-20 GW) [Context– Psalm 77]
Reflections and Insights
Psalms such as this one strip off all pretense and bravado. This psalm helps us see into a believer's struggle with faith and how to process things in prayer with God.
After the psalmist airs his internal struggle of faith, then remembers the foundation and focus of his faith in God. The first half of the psalm reminds us we all struggle with our faith. Faith without any struggle is a facade and won't sustain a person when life gets hard.
The Lord desires this kind of honesty in us. Our tendency is to focus on external events and temporary situations, while God is concerned with the internal and eternal. God is working in our lives to develop our faith and trust in Him.
Once the psalmist expresses his struggle with God, his focus on God clears. His own struggles created a fog that obscured his vision of the Lord. His openness with God dissipates his doubt, and he sees God for who He is—an Almighty and gracious Shepherd.
God is supernatural—far beyond the natural world. The Lord is not limited as we are, but infinite and eternal. He calls us to walk by faith anchored in Him. This enables us to look through the fog of our doubts to see where He is leading us.
Reflection—
Do you see God for who He is or do you get stuck looking at yourself and your circumstances? The Lord is not limited as we are, but infinite and eternal. He calls us to walk by faith anchored in Him.
Prayer Focus—
Be honest in your prayers—honest with God and honest with yourself. When you find yourself overwhelmed by events, feelings, or people in your life, seek the Lord with your whole being. Fix your thoughts and the eyes of your heart on the Lord, so He can help you see beyond it all by faith.
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