by Sandra J. Charite
His promises were on the other side of the country and I had no access to them.
The young couple stayed in constant fasting, prayer, and mediation on God’s Word. They had been married for five years and shared many accomplishments among them in their careers but there was a huge hole in their marriage that neither could fill. Each time he smiled, she pretended to exchange a smile too but she knew the one thing he wanted, she was unable to give him. She was barren and longed to have a child that she could wrap in her arms. Nevertheless, through her tumultuous faith, it seemed like God had forgotten her and the prayers she laid on the altar.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49:15
So, how could the God who knows every hair on our head forget us? I have asked that question numerous times. There have been times when it seemed like my prayers don’t meet him in time and fear circulates in my mind. I wonder, did I say the right words, did I commit a sin that had shunned me from mercy, or did he even hear me? Trust me, I know it’s frustrating. Honestly, I have shared the same thoughts like the young couple. Quoting the scripture that “he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) but doubt rented a room in my house and my faith wavered.
Though we don’t serve God for things, but I thought he would answer my requests when I made them. I applied to hundreds of jobs only to be left with zero interviews and callbacks. So, I advanced my education to be told that I was overqualified. See, I operated in faith and included the works but the battle to find stability in my career seemed endless. Yes, I felt abandoned by God because I followed the rubric but I didn’t reap anything I was sowing.
“For the LORD will not abandon His people nor will He forsake His inheritance.” Psalm 94:14
His promises were on the other side of the country and I had no access to them.
When we are faced with the difficult situations in life, we are prone to believe that we are forgotten by the Most High. Our prayers that we laid at the altar seem meaningless. The husband didn’t come before you turned 30, six months of unemployment yet no possible job prospects, womb is still barren, the business that you’ve been dreaming about has yet to be established, or the college degree is hard to acquire. Interesting enough, Isaiah 49:15 states that “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” What a promise from God!
At times, it would seem like God has amnesia and is blind to our pain, deepest desires, circumstances, seasonal opposition, and essential needs. However, I reflect on Joseph in the book of Genesis because through it all God remembered him. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown into jail, wrongfully accused of rape, and then imprisoned again. Just when it seemed like Joseph caught a break by interpreting the dreams of two of his fellow prisoners, he was forgotten