Doesn’t God See?
“I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 42:9-11
Ever felt like God doesn’t see? Like He can’t hear, doesn’t understand, can’t relate, and won’t answer? Like you’re being oppressed by the enemy and carrying a burden beyond description, overwhelmed, stressed out beyond measure, and feel like you can barely get through the next moment unless God remembers you’re there and in desperate need of help? Ever felt forgotten by God? Overlooked? Neglected? Discounted? Like you’re in an endless line of people waiting for God to see YOU and YOUR situation and give YOU love, help, and attention? Like He’ll never get around to seeing YOU and helping YOU? Like you’ve been praying your heart out, crying, whining, begging, miserable, desperate, thinking, where is God? Doesn’t He know your needs? Your desires? Doesn’t God see?
I’ve been there – so many times! I’ve learned it’s not that God can’t see, but that I can’t see what God is thinking, doing, or planning. I can’t see why He’s allowing what He’s allowing. I can’t see God! I start thinking maybe He’s forgotten me. I find my “soul” “cast down” like the psalmist in Psalm 42. I feel like I’m mourning like the psalmist is – over how beaten down I feel and over feeling forgotten. But the psalmist does something I need to do. IN THE MIDST of being oppressed by the enemy, and in feeling forgotten by God because he can’t see the end from the beginning and what God will do, the psalmist does this.
He calls God His ROCK. He puts his hope IN GOD. He calls God “the HEALTH” (caps added) (salvation and deliverance are included in the definition of the original Hebrew word per the concordance) of his “countenance” (face per the concordance). What does he say? “I shall yet PRAISE (caps added) him.” IN THE MIDST OF HIS TRIAL, he puts his TRUST, FAITH, HOPE, and PRAISE in GOD! He doesn’t wait until the trial passes to see if and what God will do, or if he will get the help and outcome he wants. He does it in the thick of the battle! He knows by FAITH God hasn’t forgotten him. His love and praise of God aren’t based on what God does or doesn’t do, nor on the outcome of his trial, but on who God is and trusting God will take care of him no matter what. Such a long way I have to go in my faith, but I know I am on my way. Are you?