Over the course of our lives as human beings, we must honestly admit that we have had a variety of experiences. Everyone yearns for a life that is good, happy, and abundant with joy. But often what happens is the opposite of what we expect. Sadness, sorrow, and suffering become unavoidable realities. Both types of experiences challenge us to be in dialog with the faith we live. This is especially true in the case of suffering that rattles our entire being. It is difficult to dialogue with the all-knowing existence of God.

A similar struggle is well illustrated in the series of beautiful verses in chapter 22. From verses 1-2 we get an idea of the problem the psalmist is highlighting. The verse paints a picture of a great cry of anguish. It is a roar, a moan, and a groan, as evidenced by his twofold appeal to God. His life was now in a tension between trusting in his God, his Good Father and feeling forgotten or abandoned. He had repeatedly cried out to the Lord, but God remained distant and did not answer him as if he had rejected and discarded him. The situation made him even more uneasy, yet the psalmist did not abandon God. Instead, he came to God and cried out: "My God, my God."

This heavy affliction did not hinder the psalmist's faith and trust in God. He did feel like he was abandoned by God, but he chose to trust in Him. As expressed in the following verse, "In You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them." However, he realized that his choice, which was based on the memory of God's help to his ancestors, would cause him more pain. Because God's help had not yet arrived. In fact, he described the suffering as a feeling of losing his dignity as a human being. He was like a caterpillar and had to accept the ridicule of others who laughed at his belief in God (Job 8-9). Did he stop believing in Him? Apparently not, he had absolutely no intention of severing His relationship with God.

Friends of the Bible, isn't what today's passage says also happening in our lives? We often find ourselves in a tension between our suffering and our strong will to trust God. God's Word agrees with this tension and allows people to be honest with how they feel. In the end, He invites us to keep trusting Him. Perhaps when suffering comes we feel alone and far from any help, but remember that He has never left us. Continue to hope in God because it is only from God that help comes.