What role does faith play when we feel God "hides His face"? Setting the Scene: When God Seems Hidden Feeling as though God is hiding His face isn’t new; Scripture records saints crying out in similar anguish. Yet those same passages reveal how faith steadies the heart when sight fails. Anchor Verse: Psalm 13:1 “ How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? ” Faith: The Confident Response to Divine Silence • Faith trusts God’s character when circumstances scream the opposite (Hebrews 11:1; Numbers 23:19). • Faith clings to His unbreakable promises rather than today’s perceptions (Isaiah 40:8; 2 Corinthians 5:7). • Faith remembers past deliverances as proof He is still working (Psalm 77:11-12). Lessons Drawn from the Psalm 1. Honest lament is welcomed—David pours out raw emotion (vv. 1-2). 2. Faith petitions—he still prays, “Consider and answer me, O LORD my God” (v. 3). 3. Faith anticipates joy—“But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation” (v. 5). 4. Faith ends in praise—“I will sing to the LORD, for He has been good to me” (v. 6). Old Testament Echoes • Deuteronomy 31:17—God warns Israel He will “hide My face,” yet v. 23 assures His presence will go with Joshua. • Isaiah 8:17—“I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding His face… I will put my trust in Him.” Waiting and trusting are inseparable. • Micah 7:7-9—Though God seems hidden, the prophet declares, “I will look to the LORD… He will bring me into the light.” New Testament Assurance • Matthew 27:46—Christ Himself experienced the Father’s face turned away, ensuring our ultimate acceptance. • Romans 8:28-39—No separation, not even perceived silence, can sever believers from God’s love in Christ. • 1 Peter 1:6-7—Trials that obscure God’s nearness refine faith “more precious than gold.” Practicing Faith When God Seems Absent • Rehearse truth aloud—read promises like Psalm 42:5; Lamentations 3:21-23. • Continue obedient worship—Habakkuk 3:17-18 models rejoicing before deliverance. • Pursue holiness—unconfessed sin can dull spiritual perception (Isaiah 59:2; 1 John 1:9). • Engage the Body—others’ faith bolsters ours (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Keep asking, seeking, knocking—persistent prayer is faith in action (Luke 18:1-8). Why God Allows the Hiddenness • To deepen dependence (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). • To test and mature faith (James 1:2-4). • To expose idols and purify motives (Psalm 139:23-24). • To prepare us to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). The Outcome Promised “ Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5) “ After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10) Faith, then, is the bridge between God’s hidden face and the certain dawn of His renewed smile. |
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