Do You Ever Feel Like God’s Love Has Failed?

God remembered us when we were down, His love never quits. Rescued us from the trampling boot, His love never quits. Takes care of everyone in time of need. His love never quits. Thank God, who did it all! His love never quits! Psalm 136:23-26 (MSG)

Photo & Words: Wendy van Eyck

Do you ever feel like God’s love has quit? 

I know sometimes in my life it has looked like his love has failed.

When my husband was diagnosed with cancer for instance.

Or when my brothers’ best friend was knocked down by a car.

Or when my friends were told after three dead babies that by a flook of nature they both carried something in their genes that meant their children would never live more than a day or two.

On days like those it looks a lot like God’s love has walked out on me and the people I love. 

When I read Psalm 136 I think the people involved must have sometimes felt like God’s love had quit too. 

“The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn. His love never quits.” Where is God’s love in this verse? I’m pretty sure the Egyptians, and those that took care of the Egyptian first-born children (most probably Israelites) must have felt like Gods’ love failed them.

Or when you read, “The God who marched his people through the desert. His love never quits.” The bible says they walked around for forty years in circles. Makes me pretty sure that at some point someone was thinking, “God, where is the love?”

But through all these bad things happening this chapter tells us not once but 26 times that Gods love never fails.

God’s love never quits.

In fact it takes it one step further and says, “Thank God, who did it all! His love never quits!”

Not only does this chapter ask us to believe that God’s love never quits but it tells us to thank God even when it looks like his love has failed. 

The bible tells us to offer God thanks when my husband is diagnosed with cancer, when my brother’s best friend dies and when my friends are faced with infertility. Really?

Am I meant to say then: “Thank you that your love never quits.”

I think that is what the Psalmist is saying. 

I think he is reminding us that when the storm rages, when our worlds are crumbling, when life sucks, that we don’t have to be afraid, because we can know that God loves us. 

We can know in hard times that God is working ALL things out in love.

If you know the story of the Israelites you’ll recognize it as the one this Psalm is recalling.  

It is a story of great pain, great suffering and great love. God showed up time and time again in their time of need. Their lives weren’t perfect but it is plain to see that God loved them.

It’s interesting that this Psalm wasn’t written in the midst of struggle it was written hundreds of years later with the benefit of hindsight. 

We can’t always see God’s love in our lives but that doesn’t mean it has ever quit. (<-- Click here to tweet this)

The more I read this Psalm the more I realize that God is whispering the same thing to our hearts. 

Your life may be one of great pain, great suffering but it is also speak of God’s great love for you.

In your time of need you can bet on the fact that God will show up time and time again. (<-- Click here to tweet this)

Your life won’t be perfect but it will be plain to see that God’s love has never failed. 

And when you look back, with the benefit of hindsight, you will see that God’s love NEVER QUIT. 

A prayer for those who feel God's love has failed: Thank you God that your love never quits. If circumstances tell me your love has failed me, I know that you haven’t. I believe you remember me when I am down. I am grateful that you take care of me always. I rest in your promise that your love never quits. 

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