Suffering's Good News

This week in the 20’s Sunday class, the Prayer Workshop Team shared with us about the prayer of the forsaken (based on Richard Foster’s book, Prayer). Many, if not all of us, have felt forsaken at one time or another in our lives. What has encouraged me during the week is to know that Jesus himself went through such a time on earth.

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46, NIV)

Now I don’t wish the experience of being forsaken by God on anyone, but the fact that Jesus went through this time tells me that there is hope for us as we undergo such a walk in the desert. Contrary to my experience during those times, I can gain some comfort in the fact that Jesus, the God-man, also when through this experience.

In the passage above in Matthew, Jesus is quoting from Psalm 22. This is David’s prayer of his own feelings of abandonment by God. In the psalm, he describes in detail his proximity to death. Yet in verse 22, there is a shift. Something happens to David, but we are not let in as to what. David just begins to praise God.

I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
(Psalm 22:22-24, NIV)

I have come to appreciate this psalm for its vivid description of suffering and for what it leaves out. I am thankful that I can pray along with David and Jesus when I too feel forsaken by God. There is affirmation for me to pour out my heart to God no matter how bad it gets. It is an act of faith.

I am also thankful for the rescuing part being left out of this psalm. If it were included, I am afraid that I would be tempted to spend my time praying that God would change my circumstances in the same way as he did for David. The second half of the psalm simply praises God for his care and presence with those who are suffering and afflicted. I think this is the point. Our experience of forsakenness is not without purpose. Somehow it will lead to God’s praise; however, David nor Jesus understood how there suffering would end up glorifying God. This is the good news for me as well. Neither do I know how my suffering will end up glorifying God, but in this I have good company.

Pray with me that we would be a community that can pour our hearts to God and wait in expectation for him to answer us.