Where is God?

Christian Inspiration / By

When we’re going through a tough challenge in life, Satan plants all sorts of negative things in our minds. Depending on the nature and severity of our circumstances, we might feel that life is spinning out of control or that the situation we’re facing is too difficult for us to handle.

We think, Where is God? We start feeling lonely, isolated, and overwhelmed. We think no one understands what we’re going through or how much we’re hurting.

All of these negative feelings might make us question the very existence of God.

Is God real?

When we feel stranded or abandoned on a desert island, we might begin to wonder: Is God real? If He doesn’t feel close or if He seemingly doesn’t care about what’s happening to us, does He even exist?

Some people think that having this type of doubt is a sin and that anyone who’s a real Christian will never doubt.

Yes, in an ideal world, once we’ve accepted that God exists and that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, we would never doubt again. But we’re humans and we’re faulty and when we’re in the midst of a tough time, we try to make sense of things. Even when there are no solid explanations.

At these times, it wouldn’t be unusual to question: Is God real?

I hope if you ever get to this level of doubt, you can bring yourself back to the Truth in one microsecond. The answer lies in the very first line of the greatest Book ever written. (I hope it goes without saying that I’m referring to the Bible.)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 WEB

It seems pretty logical that the world began at some point. Earth was created. Humans were created.

Some people claim that a huge, random explosion created our world and its amazing, intricate, inexplicable beauty and splendor. My experience is that explosions destroy things, not create the most elaborate things ever.

The Bible confirms that belief by telling us there is most certainly a Divine ‘Creator’ behind all of creation. We call that Creator, God.

Our very existence should be evidence alone to accept God as being real. And whether we’re pleased or displeased with the circumstances of our life, it doesn’t change the fact that God exists.

Psalm 42

David is the likely author of Psalm 42. In it, he pours out his heart in despair and cries out to a God who he desperately craves within his soul, but who seems distant. Still, David continues to hope in God, to praise Him, and declare Him as his God.

David speaks for us in our time of despair. He said:

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalms 42:1-2 WEB
I will ask God, my rock, “Why have you forgotten me?” Psalms 42:9 WEB
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God. Psalms 42:11 WEB

Spiritual Challenges

So, if we can trust that God is real, it opens the door for more challenging questions. These spiritual uncertainties can derail us when we’re in the midst of a storm.

Some people run toward God when they’re struggling and some run away because they feel angry or abandoned. Maybe you’re not running away from God, but you’re certainly not drawing closer or trying to rely on His strength to carry you.

If your relationship with God is stagnant or suffering because you’re suffering, let’s ask those hard questions and put them right out on the table.

Why does God allow me to suffer so much?

We could start with the basic question of, “Why does God allow suffering?”, but let’s make it more personal, because suffering is personal. You might blame God for allowing your suffering. You might be asking, “Why me?”

These are normal questions that most of us wrestle with at one point or another.

If we go back to the beginning, the Book of Genesis Chapter 3 teaches us that sin entered the world through Satan’s temptation and the subsequent fall of Eve (then Adam) in the Garden of Eden by eating the apple that God specifically told them not to eat.

It’s at this point that the perfect world God created for His creation, with no pain or suffering, was spoiled forever by this disobedience. When that door was opened, we all fell victim to sin and suffering.

Some people say that the story of Adam and Eve is mythical and it didn’t literally happen that way. To those people, I say, “Fine!”

Wherever and however you believe sin and suffering entered the world, hopefully we can agree that sin and suffering exist and are part of our human condition.

In light of that, suffering is not targeted at you. We all get a dose.

Yes, some seem to get much larger doses than others. It’s valid to wonder why terrible diseases befall you or your loved ones while other people seem only to get a head cold.

The fact is that there’s no definitive answer to this question because the only one who truly knows the answer to our suffering is God Himself.

But if you can, allow yourself to accept that your suffering isn’t a personal attack by God and consider that it might even be an invitation to draw closer to Him. He wants to help you through the storm.

Where is God when we suffer?

Perhaps one of the most devastating feelings in the world is to believe in the existence of God, but feel He’s abandoned you in your struggle.

It’s hard to trust or love someone who abandons us at our lowest points. The good news for us is that both the Old and New Testaments are full of examples of how God loves us and never abandons us.

If you feel He’s against you and doesn’t care about your pain or suffering, that is Satan whispering lies to you.

One beautiful example we have is in Psalm 23. David tells us we can see that God is with us in the suffering – otherwise known as the valley of the shadow of death.

[The Lord] is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in Yahweh’s house forever. Psalm 23:1-6 WEB

So, where is God when you need Him?

You might have been disappointed earlier when I said we really don’t have a concrete answer for all the questions we might have about suffering.

But when it comes to where is God when we need Him in our suffering, the answer is one hundred percent clear. Did you catch it in Psalm 23:4?

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

“You are with me.” 

My friend, God is WITH YOU. Whether you feel it, believe it, or want it. He is right beside you in the midst of your storm.

Do you need Devotions for Going Through Hard Times?

Is your struggle weighing you down? Does your journey feel unfair? Are you feeling defeated and weak?

Sometimes we lose sight of Jesus during our hard times. It might feel as if we’ve been abandoned or are being punished.

Take comfort in knowing our God is beside you and He’s waiting for you to grab hold of His hand.

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