Happy Thursday, everyone! In today’s scripture reflection, I want to focus on the Psalm of the day (Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab).
This Psalm is a cry to God from despair: “Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!” We all have moments in our faith journey when prayer feels hard. Sometimes, things are just not going well, and it seems like God is distant. In those times, it can be difficult to focus on prayer because we feel like God isn’t listening. I once shared this very problem with a wise spiritual advisor. I told him, “I feel like God isn’t speaking to me, like it’s a one-way conversation.” He leaned back in his chair and said, “Are you sure God isn’t talking, or are you just not listening?”
In these moments, the temptation to sin can creep in. We may think God isn’t listening, so we seek comfort in sinful pleasures rather than in Him. When we feel God is silent, the devil is surely near. Of course, we know that God is always listening and always present, but it’s easy to convince ourselves otherwise. We let the worries of life—work, the world, or other concerns—make us forget that God is always with us. The Psalmist reminds us, “With you is forgiveness.” He continues, “I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. My soul waits for the LORD more than sentinels wait for the dawn.” I see a striking resemblance to a modern saying here: “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” When prayer feels hard, when you think God has left you, that’s precisely when you need to trust in Him even more. It’s not God who is silent but we who are not listening. God is ever-present with us; He hears us and knows what’s best for us. Even if you think He isn’t listening, trust in God. “With the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption.” He will not abandon you but will reward you if you trust in Him. Stay focused on God and trust in the Lord.