I want to read Psalm 22 because I think that in this fallen world, this Psalm really does speak into some of the hardest moments of the human experience.
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
[...]
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
What a capturing of the hardest moments of the human experience. I would title Psalm 22, "Forsaken." There are times when all of us go through the dark, wintry night of the soul. There are moments when you do feel like you have been forsaken by God. There are times when God seems distant, uninvolved, silent. It's like your cries go nowhere, your prayers go nowhere, and in these moments, all you can do is groan, "Is he ever going to answer?" The psalmist says, "I feel like I'm falling apart."
Psalm 22 is a validation of that struggle. God doesn't always seem near; you don't always understand what he's doing. Sometimes life just doesn't make any sense. But there's more to this Psalm.
There's this moment where even though God is faithful and God is near, he doesn't seem to be faithful, and he doesn't seem to be near. These words are quoted in the New Testament, and they are quoted in the most dramatic moment in human history-they're quoted by Jesus. Jesus, on the cross, cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" The hardest moment of Jesus on the cross was not the physical suffering. The most terrible moment on the cross is when the Father turned his back on the Son and Jesus Christ cries out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Now here's what you need to understand. Jesus did that as your and my substitute. Jesus, on the cross, took every single piece of our rejection - now listen to what I'm going to say - so that we will never again see the back of God's head.
You see, in those moments when it seems like God is distant, he's not actually distant. In those moments where I feel forsaken, I haven't actually been forsaken, because Jesus was willing to be forsaken so that I would never be forsaken.
Like I've said many times of other Psalms, this Psalm is full of hope even though it's dark because it's pointing us to this moment where Jesus was willing to be separate from the Father so that, as we come to him by faith, we would never ever again be separate from God.
God doesn't forsake his own. He isn't unfaithful. He doesn't regret that he's made you his child. He doesn't turn away from you in disgust. He loves you with an everlasting love, and there's nothing that can separate you from that love. Jesus guaranteed that on the cross when he cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He took what we will never have to experience.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. When has God felt distant from you in the past, or does God feel distant from you presently? What were you, or what are you, going through that was/is difficult, unwanted or unexpected? How did/would you want God to alleviate your suffering or trouble? What did/do your cries and groaning sound like? Did you, or are you, sinning in your suffering and troubling your trouble with unwise, immature, and selfish responses?
2. How has God previously revealed himself to be near to you, hearing your cries, and answering them - in his perfect timing, and in his perfect grace? Consider the cross as your first and foremost example, but be hyper specific. How does Jesus crying out "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" provide you with practical comfort and hope, right here, right now? Then, consider another time when God was near to you, specifically, in darkness, proving that he has never and will never forsaken you. How can these memories help you walk faithfully through suffering?
3. Who do you know who is enduring a dark time of suffering or trouble? Do they feel forsaken? What is their relationship to God in this moment? Have you asked? How can you support and encourage them with practical acts of service and love? How can you spiritually support them and remind them that they are not forsaken?
Conversation Prompts to Use with Children
For Younger Children: Do you ever feel alone? How does it make you feel when you are alone? Are you sad, afraid, or angry? What do you want to do when you feel alone? Did you know that if you are a child of God, you are never alone? God is always near you, he always hears you, and he always listens to you. What can you say to God next time you feel alone? Did you know Jesus felt alone from God? How do you think that made Jesus feel? Do you know why Jesus had to be alone from God? Let's thank Jesus for being alone so that we would never to be alone again.
For Older Children: Do you ever feel alone, isolated, or excluded? Where do you feel this? At home, at school, in a group of friends, on a team? How does it make you feel when you feel separated and rejected? Do you ever talk to God in these moments? Do you think he listens, answers, or even cares? What evidence is there in the Bible that he does? Who do you know who looks alone or rejected? How can you comfort, encourage, and include them?
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