When Hope Feels Lost: 5 Powerful Psalms to Anchor Your Soul
2. Psalm 22: When God Feels Like a Stranger
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v.1)
Fun fact: Jesus quoted this Psalm on the cross. That shocked me. If He felt abandoned, why do we shame ourselves for doubting?
I wrestled with Psalm 22 after my divorce. Sitting in my half-empty apartment, I’d whisper, “God, did You check out when he did?” But then I noticed the turn in verse 22: “I will declare Your name to my people.” Wait—after the despair?
My “ugly journal” entry:
“God, I’m the dumped wife at the well (John 4). Everyone’s whispering. But if You turned that woman into a evangelist, maybe my shame has a purpose. Not today. But maybe.”
Try this:
- Name your “bulls of Bashan” (v.12)—the circling fears. Mine were:
“You’ll die alone.”
“Your kids are doomed.”
“God’s bored with your tears.” - Write each fear on a rock and throw them into a lake/pool/dumpster. Literally. (I chucked mine into the Missouri River with a primal yell.)
