Whether we're bold enough to admit it, there are moments in our lives when we doubt God. We doubt His love. We doubt His justice. We doubt His faithfulness. Whether inspired by pain, suffering, misfortune, affliction, loneliness, mourning, anger, etc., the temptation to question God's presence and sovereign purpose in the midst of the storm is a real struggle for many, even those who proclaim themselves as followers of Christ. Why?

Truth be told, life circumstances influence our judgment by replacing the absolute truth of God's Word with experiential knowledge. In other words, we tend to lean on what our senses tell us more than what the pages of Scripture teach because they feel more tangible in the moment and therefore trustworthy.

As a result, we find ourselves lost in the wilderness without a compass to guide our direction because we've abandoned our first love and the security of His Word. The truth is every one of us gets spiritually lost at some point in our lives, and we need divine intervention to remind us that it's okay to weep and mourn from time to time.

Thankfully, tears have the ability to purge the heart of bottled emotions which need to be released, and music has the power to facilitate that process. Such is the case with one of my favorite songs by Rend Collective, entitled, “Weep With Me,” written in the aftermath of the Manchester arena suicide bombing in Manchester, England on May 22, 2017.

LYRICS: "Weep with me. Lord, will you weep with me?"

It is vitally important when camped in the valley of despair to comprehend that God not only hears our cries, but empathizes with our emotions and meets us in our grief.

Scripture reminds us, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14–16).

Anyone who believes God is immune to suffering is woefully ignorant to the fact that our ability to emote comes from Him, our Creator, because He designed us with the freedom and ability to express emotions. Moreover, God demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His own Son on our behalf so we could be reconciled with Him and eternally saved from our sins.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6–8).

Therefore, how could we ever doubt His willingness to intervene in our lives with grace and comfort when Scripture promises, "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:26).

LYRICS: "I don't need answers, all I need is to know that You care for me."

It is a brave admission to accept we will never have answers to all our questions this side of heaven, especially due to circumstances out of our control such as terminal illness, natural disaster, persecution, abuse, etc. Yet what our hearts yearn for most in seasons of despair is simply to know we are loved, valued and recognized by God in the moment, and that He hears our lament even we doubt His righteous character in the midst of the pain.

May we never forget, "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). The next stanza of the song echoes the true nature of our hearts when we struggle understanding the purpose of our suffering and God's role in spite of it all. 

LYRICS: "Hear my plea. Are You even listening? Lord, I will wrestle with Your heart but I won't let You go."

The raw emotion of struggling to submit and obey God's Word in difficult times reminds me of Psalm 13 where David pointedly confronts God, but holds firm not to abandon the Lord's faithfulness which he knows to be true.

"How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me" (Psalm 13:1-6).

David undoubtedly languished for answers, but chose to accept that God's sovereign will was more important than his need for explanation and immediate recompense.

LYRICS: "You know I believe. Help my unbelief."

If we're honest with ourselves, this is the crux of our faith—at least it is for me! Yes, we believe roughly 2,000 years ago Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for our sins, yet we struggle reminding ourselves that His sacrifice was not a past event, but an ever-present promise to never abandon us in our time of need.

In other words, there is often a disconnect in times of trial between our head and heart where doubt lies dormant, readily waiting to confuse the assurance of God's sovereignty with self-preservation and blame-shifting. Therefore, we must expose the lies Satan uses to confuse our minds by remembering what God actually says in His Word.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

LYRICS: "Yet I will praise You, yet I will sing of Your name. Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise. What's true in the light is still true in the dark. You're good and You're kind and You care for this heart. Lord, I believe You weep with me."

I wonder how much we believe the words of this chorus because they confront our preconceived notion that in some way, God's Word is only applicable in certain situations and environments, and His love circumstantial rather than unconditional.

Yet even in our darkest hour, even in the pit of our despair, even when anger envelops our hearts, God's Word is unequivocally TRUE. His promises are TRUE. His faithfulness is TRUE. His devotion is TRUE. Praise the Lord!

We must never forget, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7). Therefore, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

Our confidence is strengthened when we remember God's intent is never to harm or hurt us, but to restore our confidence that we are safe and secure if we trust His Word without reservation.

LYRICS: "Part the seas. Lord, make a way for me. Here in the midst of my lament, I have faith, yes I still believe that You love me. Your plans are to prosper me. You're working everything for good even when I can't see."

Keep in mind, worldly comforts and a life devoid of trials is not a realistic perspective we (as people of faith) can assume God promises because it's not Biblical (despite all the "health and wealth" false doctrine spreading like wildfire in this world). Rather, we must realize that trials truly define our faith walk and spiritual maturity, and expose the character God wishes to refine in all of us, even when we can't comprehend the sovereign timing or manner in which He ordains our wilderness seasons.

The key to surviving seasons of trial, though, is to never abandon our love for the Lord in the first place. Hear what Scripture affirms for those "who love God."

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). 

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).

"I (the Lord) love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me" (Proverbs 8:17).

The lyrical bridge of "Weep With Me" brings everything into focus as we discipline our minds to continually preach the Gospel to our hearts, replacing doubt with faith, and believing God not only hears our cries but comforts us in our time of need.

LYRICS: "Turn my lament into a love song, 'cause I love You Lord. And from this lament, raise up an anthem. Oh, I'll sing it in the darkness."

It is a powerful moment in our lives (truly, a spiritual marker) when we boldly reject our natural propensity to self-protect and embrace faith instead. Far too often, we blame God for our misfortune rather than viewing trials as opportunities for spiritual growth and relational intimacy with our Father in heaven. We lose focus due to the breadth and depth of our calamity, and fix our eyes upon the boulder before us rather than the one who can move mountains.

Consequently, may we never forget to "count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2–4).

Yet in the midst of trial remember to be still and know that "the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Therefore, we are encouraged to express our lament and vulnerability to God—not as a complaint, but rather as an anthem of love and devotion, trusting He will never leave us nor forsake us.

The enemy would have us believe God abandons or distances Himself from us when calamity strikes, but Scripture reminds us, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Make no mistake, "What's true in the light is still true in the dark." Therefore, may we never waver in our faith or the assurance of God's Word, but continually trust in the Lord and guard the treasure of our salvation, because "fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart" (Proverbs 17:3).