“They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.”

Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.”

Psalm 35: 21-22

To be sneered at is deeply humiliating and undermines trust and love. To find that someone is sneering at you, is hard to take. If it is done by one close to you, it is very hurtful. The fact that it is seen, further exacerbates the hurt.

People who think they have worked out your situation, yet have no interest in talking to you about what you are going through, shows a deep lack of regard. If you are in a relationship with this person, it is impossible to know what to do. The sufferer feels at the mercy of other people’s attitudes and hope can almost disappear. We give ourselves away by the look on our faces, and the unsaid lack of respect.

The scoffer feels able to throw off the person they scorn, and it causes a deep division in any relationship. What are we to do? If we depend on someone, and they turn into a scorner, insecurities grow and the sufferer starts to question the validity of the relationship. It can cause a deep anger that manifests itself as antagonism towards the scorner, and if not addressed, really only has one outcome. Relationships fail and people find they have to separate. Depression, anxiety, fear and loneliness take root.

No one seems to care. Blame is the food night and day and the hope of salvation just evaporates. What can be done about this? Is there any hope in such a situation? Does God care? The Scripture says that God sees all this. He understands every heart and the fears in every mind. The sufferer asks God to speak, and not be silent. When we suffer, it is easy to think God doesn’t care and has nothing to say to us. The truth is God knows and sees, and is there when. We call out to Him. We ask Him to draw close to us…

Please, Lord, don’t stay away from me. Do not throw me off and close your eyes and ears to my constant calling. If other people reject us and do not see or hear, we can trust that God hears the call of the sufferer and the oppressed.

“Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.”

Psalm 35:23

The sufferer asks God to defend them and to fight for their souls, because only God can do so.

What if our mind turns against us and is intent on blaming us for everything. What if we are blamed for everything? We can be so judgmental on ourselves, in a way that God is not. This is the time of God’s mercy and grace, and He will bear with us even when all others do not. He fights for the oppressed and He fights for His people. Those who trust in Him and call out to Him, He will help.

“May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

Psalm 35:27

We praise Him for the blessings He gives and the way He supports His people. It is good to have Christian friends who encourage us and remind us that we are loved, even when everything is telling us we are not. God does not delight in hurting people or misery. Those who call out to Him, will not be disappointed and He will provide a way of escape.

Our situation might be dire, but God is able and will not allow us to be tempted and tested above what we are able. We ask Him for power and love and a strong mind.