“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40
The belly of a really big fish would be a lonely place to spend a few days (or even a few seconds). It would be hard to imagine someone being in a place where they felt more forsaken than Jonah did during those three days and nights. He didn’t just happen to end up on the menu that day, he was in the process of running away from God (by the way, don’t try it — it never ends well!) and this is where he ends up.
Jonah wasn’t the first or the last to find themselves in a place that seemed to be lacking God’s presence. How about Daniel when he is in the den of lions. It is easy to look back at that scene and rejoice in God’s great deliverance. But what about Daniel as he is beginning his journey into the lions’ den? And what got him into this situation in the first place? Being faithful to pray to God even though threatened with death. How could the Lord forsake Daniel at a time like this? He didn’t. He was right there with him in the midst of the lions. Daniel was never forsaken by the Lord even though he went through such an ordeal.
What about Job? He was righteous before God yet, it seemed as if the Lord had forsaken him. One thing after another was taken away until finally, even his health was taken and he was all alone except for his wife who encouraged him to give up on God and three friends who tried to explain to him everything he did wrong to bring all of this calamity upon himself. Once again, we have the advantage of hindsight so we know how the story ends. Job was never forsaken by God even though to look at him at the time it would be easy to side with his friends!
Aside from these (and so many other examples, maybe even in your own life) the greatest example of someone seeming to be forsaken by God is seen in Jesus’ last moments before He yielded up His life as He hung on the cross and cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?” Jesus was going through the darkest time of His life as He became sin for us and took the sin of all mankind upon Himself, but even through the darkness, the Father never forsook Him.
Jonah was in a really dark and low place in his life. He felt, because he had disobeyed and disappointed the Lord, that he was cast out of God’s sight. He was in such deep water, even his soul had been overcome. He felt forsaken. But, Jonah became an example for us and proof of a very valuable truth; you are never forsaken.
Even in that place of darkness where it seemed there was no hope of ever seeing the light of day (or the brightness of God’s glorious presence) ever again, Jonah cried out to God. And God answered him. He was not forsaken after all, he was in fact about to be delivered.
So, what should you do, what can you do, if you feel so low you even feel you are cast out of God’s sight? What help is there for you if you feel forsaken by God, as if you were in the fish’s belly, so to speak? Cry out to God, He will answer you. You are never forsaken!
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