In Psalm 22:1, David says, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" David must've thought, at this point in his life, that God was done with him. God seemed so far away. People were starting to mock David, because he trusted in God, and God seemed to be nowhere near him. David was in trouble. Standing at this crossroad, he pleaded with God to save him from his trouble. David believed the lie that God had forsaken him. He posed it as a question because he had begun to doubt the power of God's deliverance. God heard David's cries, and although David was doubting Him, He answered David's prayers. When David realized that he had failed yet again, God willingly accepted and restored him. If David had not experienced the hills along with the valleys, he would have never become the man God wanted him to be: "a man after God's own heart." But David felt like God was done with him before God had even begun to unravel His plan for David's life.
We often feel just like David. We get so caught up in what we are facing that we fail to see God's plan for us. We think because we have failed God again and again, that He is done trying with us. We believe the lie that there is no place for us in the ministry, that God will never heal the broken marriage, or save the wayward family member. We think we'll never get back up. We wonder if the fire we once had for God will ever return. Can His grace even reach this far? Or will He leave us to die in the desert place? God must be done with us, because we feel weak and alone.
We all reach a place in our lives where we begin to question God, to doubt His plan for us. Sometimes we feel like we have failed at life. We feel alone, like no one in the world understands or sees the weight we carry. We get so low and lonely. We become angry at the world because of our problems. We place the blame on someone or something else. Anything to avoid the pain of rejection and failure. Here's the thing, though: There is beauty in failure. It allows us to recognize that God's plan is not yet completed in us. Failure can cause us to feel unworthy, but we can still be accepted and loved by God.
Maybe it feels like the end for you. You're afraid to stand when you've been knocked down more times than you can possibly count. But God's not done with you. The truth is, you're not forgotten. He hasn't forsaken you. Even with your broken heart, and the mistakes you've made, God won't leave you to die in your ruins. What you see as the end, God sees as the beginning of something new. God has a plan, and each moment in your life is leading up to the beautiful unfolding of that plan. He stands with open arms, despite your failures and the pain you carry. When you see the broken pieces, God sees beauty in the brokenness. Keep your head up, Child of God. No matter what life has thrown your way, God's not done with you.
I hope you found some encouragement in this post! God still has a plan for your life-no matter where you've been or what you've done. This song is what inspired the post, so please listen. I hope it speaks to you like it did me.