For centuries, the poignant words of Psalm 22:1-2 have echoed the deepest sorrows of God’s people, capturing the anguish and confusion felt when darkness seems to engulf their lives. This ancient cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”, speaks to the heart of innocent suffering, the desolation of feeling abandoned by everyone, even God.
These are not just words on a page; they are a raw expression of pain that resonates through the ages. Many who have faced profound hardship have choked out this very question during their darkest hours. Battling chronic illness, wrestling with the shadows of clinical depression, or enduring any form of intense suffering can lead to that chilling sensation of being God-forsaken. The day feels endless with unanswered cries, and the night offers no rest for an anxious soul yearning for peace. This sense of utter desolation, like being plunged into a black abyss, is terrifying. The question inevitably arises: Has God turned away? Is this suffering a sign of divine displeasure or judgment?
Such suffering is crushing. It breeds confusion and overwhelms with feelings of abandonment, a sense of being utterly alone, even by God. These feelings are real, valid, and should never be minimized. But in the face of such profound pain, a critical question emerges: Does God truly abandon those who belong to Christ? Will God ever forsake me?
The Cry of Dereliction: Jesus and Psalm 22
We are not alone in uttering the words of Psalm 22 in our agony. These very words were on the lips of Jesus Christ, the innocent sufferer par excellence, as he faced the ultimate sacrifice, dying for the sins of the world. Understanding Jesus’ cry of abandonment is pivotal to navigating our own feelings of being forsaken. The Gospels of Matthew 27:45-47 and Mark 15:33-34 record this earth-shattering moment:
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)”
Matthew describes a supernatural darkness descending upon the land for three hours. In Scripture, darkness is often a powerful symbol of God’s judgment and displeasure, a tangible representation of separation from the One who is the very essence of light. We see this in Exodus 10:21-22, where darkness plagued Egypt as a divine judgment separating them from Israel. The darkness enveloping Jesus’ crucifixion was no mere eclipse; it was a sign, a profound indicator of God’s judgment being poured out.
Jesus, experiencing this darkness in its spiritual weight, understood its meaning intimately. For three agonizing hours, he endured this darkness, and at the ninth hour (around 3:00 PM), he broke the silence with a cry of anguish and desolation, echoing the ancient words of Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. This cry erupted from the sinless Son of God as he confronted abandonment by all, including, seemingly, his Father.
Did God Really Abandon Jesus? The Depth of Dereliction
Jesus’ cry of dereliction is deeply unsettling. Was Jesus truly God-forsaken in that moment, or did he merely feel forsaken? Some interpretations soften the cry, suggesting it was a cry of loneliness or even a cry of triumph, pointing to the psalm’s eventual triumphant conclusion. However, to truly grasp the magnitude of this moment, we must take Jesus’ cry at face value. It was a genuine, heart-wrenching cry of abandonment. As R.T. France notes, “The words Jesus chose to utter are those of unqualified desolation, and Matthew and Mark give no hint that he did not mean exactly what he said.”[1]
This scripture reveals the unfathomable depth and horror of Jesus’ suffering. In that moment on the cross, Jesus was plunged into outer darkness, separated from the Father’s presence, to bear the full weight of the world’s sin. France further explains, “In giving his life as a ransom for many for the forgiveness of sins he must, for the moment, be separated from his Father.”[2] Jesus, who had known unbroken communion with the Father from eternity, experienced the agonizing reality of separation from God, the very separation our sin demands. For the first and only time in eternity, Jesus was truly alone, utterly God-forsaken.
As we grapple with this profound truth, two critical points must be remembered. First, this was not divine child abuse or cosmic injustice. The Father and the Son willingly and in perfect unity chose this path of redemption. Both Father and Son were in unimaginable agony during Jesus’ crucifixion. To secure our salvation, the Father purposefully, though temporarily, separated himself from the Son. Second, the eternal unity of the Trinity remained unbroken. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in eternal, perfect fellowship. While the inner workings of the “psychology of the Son of God” in this moment remain beyond our full comprehension,[3] we affirm that Jesus experienced a real and profound abandonment by the Father while simultaneously upholding the inseparable unity of the Triune God. This brings us back to our initial question.
Will God Ever Abandon Us? The Promise of Eternal Presence
If Jesus, in his sinless perfection, experienced temporary abandonment by the Father, does this mean we, too, could be abandoned by God? When we are crushed by life’s burdens and cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, is this merely an expression of our feelings, or does it reflect a potential reality? The glorious truth at the heart of the Gospel, the good news we celebrate, especially at Easter, is that God will never abandon those who are in Christ.
Jesus’ cry of dereliction, though agonizing, ultimately secures our eternal security. He was forsaken for a moment so that we can live with the assurance of God’s unwavering presence forever. The innocent sufferer was God-forsaken so that we would never be. This is a truth that should fill us with awe and profound gratitude.
Even when we endure innocent suffering, we must remember our inherent sinfulness. It is our sin that creates the chasm between humanity and God. Even on our best days, we fall short of loving God with our entire being, treasuring Him as our ultimate good, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. We, in our natural state, deserve separation from God, to be plunged into spiritual darkness. God would be just in deserting us and leaving us to the consequences of our sin.
Yet, Jesus, even on his worst day, demonstrated perfect love for God and neighbor. He then chose to experience separation from the Father, a separation He did not deserve, so that we could be reconciled to God through Him. Jesus was forsaken by God so that we might be forgiven and embraced. Nothing can shatter this reality. Not our circumstances, no matter how dire. Not our suffering, no matter how intense. And not even our sin, despite its weight.
This is the powerful gospel message that we must preach to ourselves repeatedly, especially amidst pain and despair. Without the illuminating truth of the gospel, the darkness of suffering would indeed crush us. But because Jesus was crushed on our behalf, we possess an unshakeable hope. We can and must constantly remind ourselves: “There is always hope in Jesus!”
To every suffering saint, know this truth deeply: there is always hope in Jesus. Whatever valley you are walking through, especially during seasons of reflection like Easter, remember that God will not abandon you because you are in Christ. Feelings of abandonment may be overwhelming. The darkness may feel suffocating. But the unwavering truth upon which you stand firm in the midst of your suffering is this: Jesus was temporarily abandoned on your behalf, so you will never be truly forsaken.
[1] France, R.T. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2007. Print.
[2] ibid.
[3] ibid.
