Sometimes it feels like suffering surrounds us, closing in until we can barely breathe. We wake to headlines heavy with murder, mayhem, and misery. Images of homelessness line city streets, and we hear of children going to bed hungry. Across…
Have you ever thought, “If God loves me, then why is he letting this happen?” I know I have. In my lifetime, I’ve endured abuse, lived with alcoholism, struggled with and been rejected because of my disability, and grieved over the loss of my son. I’ve also learned about the unimaginable evil and harm humans have inflicted on one another through my love of historical fiction, my education, and what I’ve seen reported in the media. All of this has led me to ask a deeper question. Is it possible to find peace and contentment in the middle of pain, loss, and uncertainty?
Have you ever noticed that it’s often during the hardest seasons of life that we feel closest to God? I know I have. Unfortunately, it’s only after I have exhausted every possible option that I realize how much I need God. Then, I pause, quiet the noise around me, and reach up to Him in prayer. In those moments, I realize God is not distant, even when I am distracted by my own efforts or the busyness of everyday life.
Have you ever felt that God has turned His back on you? Maybe you’re walking through excruciating pain and loss, and it seems like He’s nowhere to be found. Perhaps you’ve made mistakes and run from Him in guilt or fear. Or maybe you’ve followed the world’s ways and turned your back on God, and now you feel certain He must have done the same to you. But friend, no matter how it feels—God is never far.
