Godforsaken

Godforsaken. Have you ever heard that phrase? A rough definition of the phrase is that God turned his back, or forsook, something or someone. It’s the feeling that God is absent. The movie Blood Diamond (directed by Edward Zwick [Warner Bros., 2006]) depicts the turmoil of civil war in West Africa and the corruption of the diamond trade. The film portrays corruption, war, genocide, and war crimes. In describing the struggle and what God would think of what had happened in Africa, the character Danny Archer states, “God left this place a long time ago!” He also calls Africa a “Godforsaken continent.” Many people in Scripture struggled and wondered where God was. Even Christ on the cross said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).