“Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 ESV).
Psalm 10 began with a cry of confusion and anguish. The psalmist felt abandoned by God in the midst of trouble. The wicked seemed to prosper while the righteous suffer, and God’s justice appeared delayed. This lament revealed the raw emotion of someone who believed in God’s goodness but couldn’t see it in the moment. Yet, as the psalm continued, the writer reminded himself that God does see, and He does act (vv. 14–18). This psalm, like many laments, moved from despair to confidence. The psalmist didn’t suppress his questions, he brought them directly to God. The very act of prayer reoriented his heart. Though he began with the feeling that God was distant, he ended by by declaring his trust in God to bring justice and defend the helpless. God was not absent. He was listening all along.
Sometimes, we feel like God is far away, especially when evil seems to go unpunished and our prayers seem unheard. But like the psalmist, we must remember that our feelings are not the final word. We can bring our raw emotions, our doubts, and our disappointments to God. He is not bothered by our questions. In fact, the Psalms invite us to cry out honestly to the Lord. As we pray, we find that our hearts are refreshed and realigned with God’s truth. Let’s not hide our hearts from Him, but pour them out before Him. When we feel distant from God, let’s draw near in prayer—and trust that He is already near to us.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for being a God who welcomes our questions. Even when You seem far away, help us to remember that You are always near. When trouble comes, give us the faith to keep praying and the honesty to pour out our hearts before You. We trust that You see, You hear, and You will act in Your perfect timing. Refresh our hearts as we seek Your face, and remind us that You never forsake those who belong to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.