God, where are you?!

God, where are you? Why have you allowed this to happen? Have you ever found yourself asking this question? I know that I have.

What do you do when you encounter brokenness—impossible circumstances, emotional turmoil, injustice—in your world or the world around you?

When we encounter such things in our lives, our responses can be many. Sometimes, we want to run and hide. Other times, we want our anger satisfied. 

In the Bible, we find many broken people in many broken and hopeless circumstances. The Word of God helps us see how we can respond to these things.

Psalm 10:1-2 reads:

1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

This question is more than an accusation—it’s a vulnerable cry of the heart. What questions do you have for God? They may be more aligned with your heart’s cry than you realize.

The author of Psalm 10 knew what it was like to feel complex emotions toward others and God. They were in an uproar about the injustice and evil people around them, brought to distress. Out of a disturbed spirit, they pen these words. These words start with lament. They begin with a grieved protest over the injustice they see (vv. 2-11), speaking of “the wicked man.” And, it ends with this:

11 He says to himself, “God will never notice;
    he covers his face and never sees.”

There have been many times when I’ve grieved that the evil and ill-willed people around me seem to prosper. I remember my junior year of college—an academic year filled with darkness (the loss of my godmother, heartbreak, mental health struggles) but also light. That February, I encountered God and surrendered my life to Him. I still couldn’t quite understand how my counterparts seemed to be able to ‘get away with everything.’

Lord, why do they seem to flourish? Why do they still prosper, even though they mean me and others harm? In protest, I lamented to my Father. The Bible Project says this about lament:

“These biblical poems of lament are a form of protest. They draw everyone’s attention, including God’s, to the horrible things that happen in his world that should not be tolerated. They are also a way of processing emotion. In these poems, God’s people vent their anger and dismay at the ruin caused by sin and violence. Finally, they give a voice to our confusion. How does our suffering relate to God’s character and his promises? Lament poems are a full-blown emotional explosion, and none of this is looked down upon in the Bible. Just the opposite, these poems give a sacred dignity to human suffering, as these human words of grief addressed to God have become part of God’s word to his people.”

In my moment of despair, I didn’t understand why evil seemed to thrive. But, like the author of Psalm 10, my lament and protest brought me to a place of prayer.

12 Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?
14 But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
    you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

Now, when you face the unnerving reality of true darkness and evil in this world, is your response to pray? Or otherwise?

If your answer was unclear or no, you probably have that in common with many. I, myself, find myself turning other ways in times of turmoil and anguish over evil. We all find ourselves in that place. But, the author of Psalm 10 prays. 

How would your world change, if you chose to do the same?

Here is a prayer and cry for God’s intervention. The author of Psalm 10 may have dealt with different injustices than you may be facing or unnerve by today, but ‘there’s nothing new under the sun.’ This prayer includes a few things—a cry out to God (begging, interceding for the vulnerable), some questions (why is the evil person the way that they are), a recognition of who God (His character and ways) and a request (an arm break to the evil person – ouch!), but really, an exposure and consequence for the evil one.

What do your most vulnerable prayers to the Lord look like? 

Can you really be honest? 

Do you hold back or let it all out? 

Hear me when I say: God wants our whole selves in prayer. Prayer is more than a set of things we say. It’s a conversation between us and a holy, loving, real, and relational God. Not only can we speak to Him, but He can even speak to us—comforting us, guiding us, and assuring us of who He is and what He has planned for this broken world.

In my life? I’ve been at a loss for words at times. I’ve cried multiple times. I’ve felt frustrated and like I couldn’t do anything useful to help the vulnerable around me. I wondered, “How could things so evil be allowed to exist?”

All hard things to feel and to ask, but just like the author of Psalm 10, we can bring all of this to God. We can intercede (stand in the gap) for the vulnerable, taking them to God in prayer—surrendering them and our burden for them to Him. We can trust that He hears us and even intervenes. 

Lord, I lay the vulnerable before you. Would you turn your face toward us?

We can come to Him with any and every question. He isn’t afraid of or intimidated by our doubts, fears or frustrations. He wants us to ask Him. 

Why, God, does it seem like you don’t see this? Why is this allowed to continue?

We can not just acknowledge but declare His good, loving, righteous, and holy nature and character. We can praise God for who He is, even in the midst of evil. Sometimes, this even changes our perspective. We can see evil in light of the powerful and intentional God, who rescues, redeems and restores. 

God, you are great and worth to be praised… even in this. You are the one who sets the captives free. Every one of my tears and the pain of those around me is seen by You. You are a Father to the fatherless and you care for the vulnerable.

And, we can request that God do something—to respond in some sort of action. That can look like asking for Him to expose evil schemes, penalize perpetrators and for those doing good to increase in number and skill. 

Lord, would you expose the lies, deceit and pain. Would you end evil? Would you increase awareness of evil? Rescue people, perform miracles, help me to engage in fights against evil in practical ways.

This is the way we fight our battles. No matter the evil, we can pray. No matter the circumstance, we can pray. No matter the hour, we can pray. No matter the feeling, we can pray. If you are a believer, you have access to the very throne of grace—God is waiting to hear from you.

Would you commit to praying about the evils you face? 

Even tonight, would you cry out to God? 

Will you pray for and with others? 

When we pray, things happen—in us and in the world. God brings transformation, no matter how it may seem. Because:

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.

Practical Next Steps

Read: Psalm 10

Journal: Reflect on evils and injustices in your world and around you. Note your true feelings and thoughts.

Reflection Questions

Reflect on these questions as you think about:

How can you respond when you find yourself in times of darkness?

How can you engage with God in prayer when you encounter brokenness?

Let’s Pray Together

Father, I come to you with my sorrows and my pain. I know that you see all, and you know all. You aren’t blind to injustice and suffering. Please help me to run to you when I am in anguish.  Amen.