Cliffhanger

I waited for you today,
but you didn’t show.
I needed you today,
so where did you go?

Cliff·hang·er: An ending to an episode that leaves the audience in suspense.

There are times we feel alone or — in some cases — abandoned. And mainstream Christianity makes it even worse, such as the mistake of saying, “You should be perfect.” Not only that but also, “If you keep going through a storm in life, then you must be in God’s discontent.” It’s as if you’ve done something wrong. And the longer the storm lasts, the more your faith is shaken. You blame yourself for the present circumstances. More and more questions are asked, yet have no given answers. It’s as if we find ourselves lost in the cold tundra and unable to see past the snowstorm. Or we find ourselves lost in a valley’s fog and unable to see past the mist.

Know this: You are not alone in this place of life. When I started writing blogs for the Millennial Spark, the overwhelming response of it shocked me. Many people (some of whom I know and some I don’t) explained how they relate to this blog’s harsh tonality. But let us ponder for a moment about this idea: “A large number of people.” So as we go along with the rest of the Millennial Spark’s fan base, perhaps we are not as alone as we think. Perhaps others following this ministry have found themselves in the fog as well.

We’re given Godly promises and then forced to wait… The plot thickens, and the story remains uncertain. Or our disdain, the story worsens. But this is the place where prayer is to be. We may not hear God’s voice, but He hears us. We may not see God through the fog, but God sees us. It’s a scripture that teaches us there’s nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). And it’s also scripture that teaches us that the trials we face today are the same trials that God’s people faced in the past (Hebrews 12:1–2). So if the people of God from the past were to make it through life, then so can we. Heaven is patiently waiting for us today just as much as heaven patiently waited for God’s people in the past. It can remind us when we feel forsaken by God: We don’t need to hear God’s voice for His words to be true. We don’t need to feel God’s presence for Him to love us. Life can keep us in suspense. Nonetheless, God’s people always have a cheerful ending. Let’s take that to heart.

I cry out with no reply,
I can’t feel you by my side.
But I’ll hold tight to what I know,
You’re here, and I’m never alone.