The cry of Jesus on the cross represents one of the most profound moments in human history, when the Son of God experienced what may have been complete abandonment. His words, quoting Psalm 22, can be understood in two ways: as an expression of ultimate trust in God despite circumstances, or as a genuine experience of divine abandonment. The psalm begins with anguish but ends with thanksgiving, suggesting that even in darkness, hope remains.
The supernatural darkness that covered the earth during the crucifixion connects us back to the chaos before creation in Genesis. This darkness represents not just judgment, but a divine reset button for all of creation. Just as God spoke light into the original darkness to begin the world, this moment marks a new
beginning for humanity. The Hebrew word for this darkness suggests complete chaos and the absence of divine order.
Even when we feel abandoned by God, we can find encouragement in knowing that Jesus has walked through every human experience, including our deepest fears and loneliness. Mother Teresa’s example shows us that feeling God’s absence doesn’t negate faith - she served faithfully for 50 years despite feeling spiritually dry. The key is maintaining relationship with God even when we don’t feel his presence, continuing to cry out to him as Jesus did. God often works most powerfully in our lives during the seasons when we can see him least clearly.
WHEN LIFE TURNS UPSIDE DOWN
Life has a way of catching us off guard. One moment everything feels stable, and the next, our world is spinning out of control. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether the hands turning our life upside down are destroying us or saving us.
When Jesus hung on the cross, darkness covered the earth - not just any darkness, but the kind that takes us back to the very beginning of creation when chaos reigned. This wasn’t just a solar eclipse; it was God responding to the weight of human sin crushing His Son.
The Hebrew word ‘hoshech’ describes this darkness as complete chaos, the absence of divine order. Yet even in this moment of apparent destruction, something beautiful was being born. Sometimes what feels like the end is actually a new beginning.
When your world feels like it’s collapsing, remember that God specializes in bringing order from chaos and light from darkness.
“Now
the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” Genesis 1:2
What situation in your life currently feels chaotic, and how might God be preparing to bring something new from it?
“I
noticed that sometimes it is hard to tell whether you are being killed or being saved by the hands that turn your life upside down.”
God, when my world feels upside down, help me trust that You are working even in the chaos. Give me faith to believe that You can bring beauty from the darkness I’m experiencing.
THE CRY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
The most heartbreaking sound in human history may have been Jesus’ cry from the cross: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ This wasn’t just physical pain speaking - this was the Son of God experiencing what felt like complete abandonment by His Father.
Can you imagine the weight of that moment? The one who had never been separated from God suddenly felt utterly alone. Yet even in this darkest hour, Jesus was still crying out TO God, not away from Him.
His words came from Psalm 22, which begins in anguish but ends in triumph and thanksgiving. Even when Jesus felt forsaken, He maintained His relationship with the Father. This cry wasn’t the end of the story - it was the birth cry of a new world being born.
When you feel abandoned or forgotten, remember that Jesus understands that pain intimately. Your cries to God, even in despair, keep you connected to Him.
Psalm 22:1
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”
When have you felt most abandoned by God, and how did you maintain your connection to Him during that time?
“We
hear, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I can hardly fathom the sound of that guttural cry from the broken heart of our Jesus that is just barely alive.”
Jesus, thank You for understanding what it feels like to be abandoned. When I feel alone, remind me that You’ve walked this path before me and that my cries reach Your heart.
FAITH IN THE DARKNESS
Mother Teresa, known worldwide for her radiant joy and service to the poor, lived with a secret for 50 years: she felt spiritually dry and distant from God. Yet she continued serving faithfully, finding solidarity with Jesus in His feelings of abandonment at the cross. Her example teaches us something profound - feeling God’s absence doesn’t negate our faith.
Sometimes the most authentic faith is the kind that persists when we don’t feel God’s presence. Each of us has experienced darkness that threatens to engulf us. We know what it’s like to
feel helpless and hopeless, crying out to God in despair.
But here’s the beautiful truth: even when we don’t feel God, we can still believe in God and continue to serve Him faithfully. The darkness doesn’t mean God has left us; it often means He’s working in ways we can’t yet see. Your faithfulness in the dark seasons matters more than you know.
Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
How can you continue to serve God faithfully even when you don’t feel His presence in your life?
“Despite her public joy and her feeling of severe loss of God’s presence, she continued to work with unwavering faith.”
Lord, help me to be faithful even when I can’t feel You near. Give me the courage to continue serving You through the dry seasons of my spiritual journey.
Jesus, help me recognize that paradise isn’t a distant promise but a present reality with you. Open my eyes to your presence in my everyday moments. Amen.
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HE’S BEEN THERE TOO
One of the most comforting truths about Jesus is this: there’s nothing you can experience in this life that He hasn’t already gone through. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
When you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, remember that Jesus experienced distress so intense that He sweat drops of blood. When you feel betrayed by friends, remember that Jesus was abandoned by His closest disciples. When you feel misunderstood, remember that Jesus was rejected by His own people. When you feel the weight of failure, remember that Jesus carried the weight of all human sin.
He didn’t just observe our suffering from a distance - He submerged Himself completely in it. This means that when you cry out to God in your pain, you’re not speaking to someone who can’t relate. You’re speaking to someone who has felt every emotion you’re feeling, who has walked every difficult path you’re walking.
Your Savior doesn’t offer you sympathy from afar; He offers you empathy from experience.
Mark 15:34
“And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).”
What struggle are you facing right now that feels isolating, and how does knowing Jesus experienced similar pain change your perspective?
“There’s nothing that we can experience in this life that he hasn’t already gone through. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Jesus, thank You for not staying distant from my pain but for entering into it completely. Help me find comfort in knowing You understand exactly what I’m going through.
GOD WORKS IN THE DARK
Here’s a truth that might surprise you: God is often most at work when we can see Him the least. The darkness of Good Friday reminds us that some of God’s greatest works happen in seasons when His presence feels absent.
In the darkness of Calvary, the crucifixion served as a reset button for all of creation. What looked like defeat was actually the greatest victory in human history. What sounded like a cry of abandonment was actually the birth cry of a new world being born - a world where God promises to be present even when we don’t feel Him.
The same God who spoke light into the original darkness was working through this darkness to bring about something entirely new.
When you’re walking through your own dark valley, remember that God’s apparent absence doesn’t mean He’s inactive. He may be doing His deepest work in your life during the times when you can sense Him the least. Trust that He loves you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Luke 23:32-43
Zephaniah 3:17
“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Looking back on difficult seasons in your life, how can you see God was working even when you couldn’t sense His presence at the time?
“God is often most at work when we can see him the least.”
Father, help me trust that You are working even in the darkness. Give me faith to believe in Your love and presence, especially when I can’t feel or see You clearly.
God, thank you for your scandalous grace that includes everyone. Help me extend the same radical welcome to others that you have shown to me.Amen.
