Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. — Psalm 77:14
There are so many times in life that can cause us to wonder where is God. We can certainly see those times in recent events around the world. There are wars raging, shootings are happening in schools, and we see people suffering at the hand of evil people. It would be easy for anyone to look at those circumstances and ask the question “where is God?”
Each and every one of those circumstances is very difficult to understand. It is hard for our minds to fathom the loss of a child through a school shooting or the loss of family through the destruction of war. Throughout my life, I have met people who have lost their children due to tragedy and I have met those who have lost loved ones as a result of war. Those who are believers, each one has all shared an interesting story.
Those that are on the outside of the situation, most are all looking into the situation through a lens of this world. They are trying to find ways to make sense of the circumstances and situations apart from the mindset that there is a God in control of all things. Those who are in the middle of the situation, they have shared that while they sometimes struggle to understand why they felt the presence of God with them throughout the entire situation.
In these verses in Psalm 77, the psalmist asks a lot of the same questions we do in times of trouble. Is God’s mercy gone forever? Has God forgotten me? Is God finished with me? But a few verses before this he said he remembers the works of the Lord. What were those works? They were works of wonder. It was the times that God declared His strength and presence among the people.
It is impossible for us to explain all the things that happen in our world of wickedness. Sin is rampant and there is little morality to be found to keep it in check. It is those times that we need to look back on the works of God. Throughout the Old and New Testament, throughout the testimony of those around us, God has given examples of His presence and His strength time and again.
The rest of the world may look into the situation through the lens of the world and ask, “where is God?” As Christians, we can trust He is in control, guiding the situation. When we do, we will certainly be able to confirm the words of Psalm 46 that God is a refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
