Psalm 22:1-5 (NLT)
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.”
As Jesus experienced the worst pain and agony of his life, he cried out with this psalm. While we cannot even imagine the torture of the cross, most of us have had a few “Where are you, God?” moments. When we are in the midst of desperation, we expect God to show up. We wait for the dramatic, last-minute miracle. And sometimes it doesn’t come.
When our despair and grief is not brought to a supernatural turning point, when hopes are dashed and disappointment seems to win, we can remember. We can recall the goodness and faithfulness of God to his people throughout history. Did he show up in each individual moment to take away the heartaches? No, he didn’t. But he did always come to the rescue of his people. He did not allow them to be disgraced. The story was never over when it seemed to be over.
When my circumstance is not good, God is good. When I am desperate, lonely, or afraid, God is good. When I have lost what is dearest to me, God is good. And his goodness will transform me, even if my circumstance never turns out how I hoped. His goodness will rescue me from a place where my situation dictates my story. In the kingdom of God, his goodness tells its own story and invites me to be a participant. That is when we are truly free because we are released from the role of main character. Everything comes back to God — and he is good.