When calamities happen in our lives, it is very difficult to feel God's presence. Often we come to the opposite conclusion; God doesn't care, how unforgiving God is, or why He is silent. But if we look back a little at the life that has unfolded so long, is it true that God has the nature of what we accuse Him of? It seems not, because in that reflective process we finally see God's provision that enables us to rise above everything. Nonetheless, all the outbursts of feelings do not signify a sin, but must be processed further so that they can become a starting point for a new foundation of faith.

In Psalm chapter 74, the psalmist reflects on the great disaster that befell Israel when the Babylonian army attacked and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. As we know that the temple is not an ordinary building but a center of worship that symbolizes the presence of God who dwells in the midst of the Israelites. So severe was the struggle, that the psalmist asked God if He had forgotten all the good works and providence towards the nation since the time of their ancestors. He said to God, "Why have you withdrawn your hand, put your right hand on your breast?" A statement that implies that the psalmist felt that God no longer wanted to help them.

At the same time, however, when the psalmist remembers the good works of God that have taken place since the days of their ancestors. Then that strength and hope was slowly reborn. With confidence he said, "How long, O God, will it be, that the adversary reproaches, and the enemy reproaches your name continually?" Not that he doubted, but rather because he was confident that God would help. He knew that God is the only source of all help.

Friends of the Bible, life is often so hard. Moreover, the pressures of the times are also increasingly diverse. In the midst of all these difficulties, we may feel that God has become so far away. But rest assured that He is always a God who works even in silence. God's love and help are evident in many ways, even in the unexpected.