Doubt - SE StudentsSample

Has God Forgotten Me? 

Ever had the feeling God is too busy for you? That He’s just got way too much going on to care for you or to take time out of His day to listen to or provide for you? Psalm 13:1 asks these questions, “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?” Maybe you’ve just convinced yourself that God is too busy and that if anything is going to get better, you just have to figure it out on your own. That mindset is destructive. Thinking that God sees your pain but just looks the other way and hides His face—that’s painful. So what do we do when we feel forgotten? What is our response when it seems like God is too busy or too inattentive to pay attention to us? We are to confess the problem, commit to pray and speak a promise. 

What makes all of the psalms (there are 150 of them) so powerful is that they were written by real people who had real problems with doubt, insecurity, anxiety, depression, loneliness, grief, loss, and fear. They had real problems, and these psalms are like a glimpse into how they processed these problems before God. Psalm 13 sets up a powerful example for you to apply to your everyday life. 

The author of Psalm 13 started by stating how he felt (verses 1-2). Then, he asked God for help (verses 3-4). Finally, he wrapped up by reminding himself of promises he believed to be true about God (verses 5-6). Today, take some time either in prayer or in your journal to follow this pattern: Honestly tell God how you’re feeling. Express your doubts, insecurities, frustrations, and pain; He can handle it. Then ask for His help (He really does care and He’s not ignoring you). Finally, start a list of promises from God that you can speak over your mind when the doubt starts to creep in. Problem. Prayer. Promise.