Red-Letter DaySample

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Those were some of the last words Jesus cried out on the cross during the moment of pure agony when God’s presence left Him. It’s also a question you’ve likely asked at some point in your life during some of your darkest moments. In those moments it can be hard to understand the why behind the storm that’s unfolding around you. The truth is, we’re not always going to understand because we only see part of the story. We simply can’t understand everything from God’s perspective. Paul states this very fact in 1 Corinthians 13:12. Our minds are incapable of understanding God and His divine purpose—especially in the midst of our pain.

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. We only see part of the story. Sometimes God gives insight to His part of the story, but other times we may not see it. In the case of Jesus’ death on the cross, God did reveal His part of the story through Scripture. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says the Father forsook Jesus because He became sin for us. 1 Peter 2:24 also says Jesus was forsaken so we could be forgiven. Remember that God is good. We may not understand His ways all the time, but God will never forsake you. His love is greater for you than you can ever comprehend.

As you pray today, think back on a time when you endured a dark time in your life. Ask God to give you insight on why you endured it. What did you learn about God from your experience?