Have you ever felt abandoned? Have your circumstances led to spiritual isolation? Maybe someone in your life has died and you can’t hear God anymore because of the cacophony of grief ringing in your ears. You are not alone. David experienced feelings of isolation and abandonment. Read Psalm 22:1-2 where David cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” We are not certain as to the exact set of circumstances that led David to write this psalm, bit this man we affirm as a spiritual hero felt abandoned by God. 

He felt forsaken and in despair. He felt far away from God and from God’s salvation. He had cried out. He had called out. But he heard no answer and he found no rest.

We need these two verses. I’m so glad that when we read the Bible, we don’t find a bunch of successful people who have everything together. I’m glad that when we really read the Bible, we discover people that are broken, people that are stricken, people that are emotionally unstable, people that are hurting, people that are imperfect.

We need to admit our weaknesses and feelings of abandonment. We do ourselves no favors when we hide the truth about us from God. God already knows how you feel. He already knows the emotional turmoil building in your heart. He knows the sleepless nights brought on by panic and worry. He knows the internal fears about people and situations that haunt you. He knows the sorrows and pains that govern your emotional state. He knows.

Because he knows, admit your weakness and instability.

But know this, admitting your weaknesses and your turmoil and your sorrows does not mean that you surrender to them. Expressing your feelings of abandonment does not mean that you are abandoned.

Your feelings do not determine your reality.

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Read the rest of the Psalm. David affirmed God’s salvation. David foretold the salvation from the Messiah a 1000 years in the future. And David experienced God’s grace and mercy.