When You Need the Lord’s Help, but it Seems Like He’s a Million Miles Away

If you have ever felt like you were desperately in need of God’s intervention but were frustrated because He did not seem to be interested in helping you, you are not the first.

The psalmist beat you to it a long time ago.

Notice the exasperation in the writer’s voice in Psalm 10, verse 1:

“O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?”

And in Psalm 13, verse 1:

“O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?”

Bible commentators confirm that we are hearing what we think we are hearing in these verses – a very frustrated believer.

“The writer turned his complaint to the Lord, who seemed to be uninterested in the plight of the oppressed…a bold expression of the true feelings of oppressed people who cry out for help.”¹

This frustrated sentiment actually comes up quite a bit in the Psalms. It might sound a little raw, maybe even a bit childish, but it’s real. Most of us have had those seasons in life when it seems like we are in town but God is out of town and has been for a long time. We’ve been trying to reach Him, to no avail. We’ve got this issue pressing on us but there’s no relief in sight.

In times like this it may help to remember a couple of things:

1. Sometimes there is a big difference between what seems to be and what is. It seems like the sun is moving, but it is actually planet earth that is moving and the sun is standing still. When it seems like God is far away and dis-interested, all we can do is come back to reality as defined in His word, where he explicitly promises that he is always with us and for us.
2. God’s timing is precise. It isn’t that He does not hear our prayers – He always does – or that He does not intend to answer; rather, He answers according to His infinite wisdom. And unlike the airlines, there is always a good reason for His delay. As someone said, “God may be slow, but He’s never late.”

So the answer is yes, it’s okay to be frustrated with God. But just remember, things aren’t always what they seem. Don’t be mistaken, He is in town. Matter of fact, He’s in your town.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.

¹Allen P. Ross, The Bible Knowledge Commentary