Bible Study & Devotional (Day 198)
Read Today’s Passages (July 17, 2022)
Guiding Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6
🔴 God, Are You Even There?
Contributing Writer: Lindsey Capron
Prayer is a powerful, sacred privilege of knowing that we can come to God about anything, and He will hear and answer us. But what happens when you pray during times of a painful, difficult, tragic, or desperate situation and God seems to have gone radio silent?
You start to wonder if God hears or even cares about your prayers.
I remember vividly being in that place as if it had happened weeks ago. In November 2017, I had just gotten married and relocated from Southern California to South Florida. Once landing on Florida soil, my plan was to get settled in my new location and then hit the ground running to find a job to help support my new husband and me.
In the early days of getting myself settled in Florida, I would pray and ask God for direction on where to go regarding my career path after leaving ten years of pharmacy experience behind. God answered and clearly instructed me not to go back to the pharmacy, which I was more than okay with. But He also told me to stop my search for a job entirely.
So, I did.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. About eight months in, I asked God again when I should be looking for work because my husband and I were on one income, and we’ve been experiencing more months than money as of late.
God said…NOTHING.
God’s silence about my pending career path would last three agonizing years. During those moments, I often cried, praying and pleading with God to say something. I even accused Him of being careless as I watched newfound Florida life steadily unravel with no relief in sight.
I cried out to God, asking Him, “How much longer? ARE YOU EVEN THERE?!”
God’s silence lead to dark thoughts of deep depression and eventually despondency and slight distrust of God.
In Psalm 13:1-6, David finds himself in a position similar to mine. David feels forgotten and pleads for God to appear but remains silent. What I love about this psalm is that David is transparent and holds nothing back as He gives God full disclosure of his deepest thoughts and feelings. He even speaks of having to “take counsel in his soul and sorrowful heart” because of the silence (Psalm 13:2).
While it doesn’t say that God responded, a shift takes place in David that has me in awe with a bold lesson learned from him. While waiting for God to respond/act, David continues to press on and press through his desperate situation by remembering God’s character, His faithfulness, and mercy.
David goes from pity to praise, worry to worship as he remembers how God has blessed him abundantly.
Waiting on God can be difficult, especially when our circumstances, pain, and problems are screaming for relief and resolution when there seems to be none. It tests our faith and patience beyond our understanding and limits.
God is not afraid of our frustration and anger. This psalm shows that we can be real, raw, and honest with God. That also indicates that though God isn’t responding to our prayers yet, He’s still near in the thick of what we’re dealing with. His daily benefits of grace and mercy show that He is indeed with us while giving us the strength to press through our feelings to seek Him.
As we wait for God to answer our long, awaited prayers, we’re presented with a choice:
We can stay in self-pity
or
shift our spirit to the One who sustains us and deals bountifully with us daily.
When we are praying without ceasing, praising God for His mercy and faithfulness, and seeking His presence and word, He will strengthen our faith as we wait for Him to act while He’s silently near and blessing us in more ways than we imagine.
🔴 The Bible In A Year Daily Reading Plan
1 Chronicles 24:1-26:11, Romans 4:1-12, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 19:15-16
Download or Print the One Year Bible Reading Plan
Connect with Lindsey Capron at www.lovegraceandlight.com
Lindsey is a speaker and blogger of her Christian lifestyle blog Love Grace and Light. Passionate about writing and studying God’s word, Lindsey blogs about the lesson and blessings God gives in the extraordinary and every day with truth and a twist of humor. Lindsey has been featured in both national and international magazine such as VoyageMIA, Shout Out Miami, and Beauty and the Gospel. Lindsey currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, FL with her wonderful husband, Donovan.
