Matthew 26:38 and Luke 24:38: When God Seems Absent

Matthew 26:38 “Then He [Jesus] said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.'”

Luke 24:38 “And He [Jesus} said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?'”

Have you ever gone through a time when it seemed that God's presence was absent from your life?  Money was tight, school projects seemed impossible,  deadlines were not met, friends were leaving you, and everything was going wrong? Perhaps even the very core of your faith seemed shaken. If this has not yet happened to you, just wait and it will. Everyone goes through periods of time like this. I have, my dad has, my grandfather has, and I know that several of you have.

There are times in our lives that we go through this. Some of us only once, some of us go through multiple times, and it is always hard. Things start slipping - our devotional times get shorter and we watch a little more television, we may eat more, we skip church just once and then just once more, and then before we know it we have missed a year of services. During these periods of time we hear people joyfully exclaim how God is answering their prayers - every single one of them, and we think to ourselves “Huh! I wish God would answer my prayers – even just one.” Often it seems that everyone but us has had these large glowing neon-light billboard answers to prayer and we get more discourage.

When we talk about it with others, they quote verses to us like “Do not be discouraged” (Joshua 1:9) or more likely Romans 8:35, 38-39 “Who shall separate us from the Love of God?...” Those are good verses but they really don't help us. Instead look at Daniel, who prayed and fasted for 3 weeks while waiting for God to answer. Surely he was discouraged! Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, surely he was discouraged. David was on the run from his King, Saul and his wife had gone to another man. Certainly he was discouraged! God promised Abraham that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky, but even at 90 Abraham still had no children. Jacob was on the run from his brother, Elijah was on the run from King Ahab and his wife Jezebel and there were no other prophets around, Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern and sank in the mud for speaking God's word, John Bunyan was excommunicated for writing  Pilgrim's Progress, and even after obeying God to move to India and work there with the untouchables, Mother Theresa never felt God's purpose for her life again. So, no, you are not alone. Even giants of our Faith such as these went through these times of blackest despair. However because of those times, they learned more of God. God uses these times, these valleys of the shadow of death, to teach us and mold us, to strengthen us and to assure us for future visits to this dark place.

In my life, when I have come out of this place of despair, this slough of despond, I have found that God was closer to me there than when I felt that I was able to feel His presence. Daniel was answered by a messenger from God, who was delayed by spiritual warfare, Joseph realized that his being sold into slavery saved his family, David grew to rely solely on God and wrote the beautiful psalms we turn to when we are troubled, Abraham had two children, both of whom have their own nations after them (Isaac and the Hebrews, and Ishmael and the Arabs), Jacob was blessed by the Lord and reunited with his brother, Elijah was assured that God had other prophets and then he went on to raise a dead child, Jeremiah was released by the pleadings of a converted Ethiopian nobleman, John Bunyan's book has become a staple of Christian Literature, becoming a perfect analogy for each of our walks with God, and Mother Theresa felt that she had stayed true to God's calling for her life. In his dark hour, Jesus wanted to be with you vicariously through His disciples, and then in their dark hour (and ours) He reassures us. He reminds us of his words in Matthew 24: 35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” He promised to be there for us forever, that nothing changes His deep love for us. When the storms rage and our faith fails and flags, He is still there waiting for us to recover, sheltering us in His shadow, and taking the worst of everything. Remember Solomon's fabled golden ring, inscribed with the words “This too shall pass.”

This week I pray that when the storm breaks, and life turns normal for you, you will be able to look back and see the progress that God has made in your life, and realize just how far He carried you through that sinister slough of despond.

Art thou in misery, brother? Then I pray
Be comforted. Thy grief shall pass away.
Art thou elated? Ah, be not too gay;
Temper thy joy: this, too, shall pass away.
Art thou in danger? Still let reason sway,
And cling to hope: this, too, shall pass away.
Tempted art thou? In all thine anguish lay
One truth to heart: this, too, shall pass away.
Do rays of loftier glory round thee play?
Kinglike art thou? This, too, shall pass away!
Whate’er thou art, wher’er thy footsteps stray,
Heed these wise words: This, too, shall pass away.”