Does Your Pain Make You Feel Far From God?

Posted on Oct 17, 2017 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:7-10

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Pain and trials may draw you closer to God, but other times they leave you feeling more alone than ever. You might find yourself asking, “Where is God in all of this? Does He see me? Does He even care?” My friend, I promise He has not abandoned you. You may barely see a glimpse of His presence. You may feel the deep thirst in your soul from losing contact with Him, but He can be found even in the hidden shadows of life. The psalmist says God is found in the heavens and in the depths, in every corner of the earth, from those that are seen to those that are unseen. Wherever you are right now, reading these words, He is here with you. He offers His guiding hand—a steadying presence to walk you through these moments that feel anything but stable. Will you take hold of Him now?

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Dear Lord,

My condition has added many challenges to my life, but the most difficult is the feeling that You’ve left me to deal with this on my own. Are You still there? Sometimes I wonder and doubt. The emptiness consumes me at times, filling me with the fear that I’ll never get through this. It’s all I can do to put one foot in front of the other. As I struggle to find glimpses of You, I’m grateful for the reminder that You’re not limited by time and space. Your presence reaches every corner of the globe—even this dark one where I find myself. Please remind me of this truth often. In my moments of questioning and despair, please show me a glimpse of Your presence. I want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You are real and with me, so I commit to looking for You even now. Give me courage to hold on to the steady hand You offer. As I fall into the trap of believing I’m alone, I tend to also believe I have to travel this road by my own strength. The truth is that my strength is spent. I can’t do this on my own anymore, so I turn to You for guidance and help. As I seek You, lead me to passages of Scripture that remind me of Your presence. I want to come to Your Word first when I doubt, so the messages of the world can’t take root in my mind. Thank You for being here with me now. I commit to finding my comfort in You alone.

In Jesus's name, amen.