"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Familiar words to those familiar with the Easter story, but also not all that far removed from how we feel when we lose our sense of connection to God. For Jesus, it was the harsh reality of not being connected to the rest of the trinity for the very first time that caused him to utter that cry of despair. Our situation is rather different, although the emotion is in many ways the same. We’ve never had the close relationship with God that Jesus had until that moment (and renewed upon his resurrection), we walk with God by faith not by sight. We speak to God in prayer, God speaks to us through the “still small voice” of our conscience, through his Word, or through other people.
It’s the nature of this relationship that can allow us to feel abandoned or forgotten. We cannot see what God has planned for us, can’t feel how he’s moving in our lives, can’t always hear the reassuring words telling us that it will be ok. We can drift away from God, slowly, through trauma or disappointment, but also through success and triumph. We wake up one day, and we can’t pray, we don’t have the words anymore; we’ve told God how broken and beaten down our heart is, and we don’t see any response. Where is God now? How am I supposed to get through this alone? God, why did you leave me when I need you the most?
It’s in those moments of hopelessness that we can remember that God stood by while Jesus made that same cry for help. He had to, Jesus was dying for our sins; had God rescued him in that moment, how would we have a relationship with God now? God will never abandon you, God will never leave you. He is the God of compassion; even when you’re mad at God, even when you’re full of doubt or regret. Come to God, turn to him and you will see that he is where he always was, at your side, watching over your life, watching over mine.