He's Still With You

“I thought I was on the right track. I thought I was where God wanted me to be, doing what He wanted me to do. Because He prepared for me to be here…He provided for me to be here. But now that everything has been turned upside down, I’m not sure. What did I do wrong? Did I make the wrong choice? Is God no longer with me?”

Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever been so sure that you were in the will of God in one season, only to feel out of the will of God in the next? Have you ever questioned everything you believe in because your circumstance seemed to be the opposite of the promise that God spoke over you?

I would love to share that I have always been full of faith on this journey…that I have always been certain that I was doing what God asked me to do, but that just isn’t true. I have wrestled in pain, in the middle of disappointment and doubt. And I have wondered if God was with me. How can this be the place that you called me to…God? I can admit that I tend to look at my circumstances as proof of God’s presence in my life. And while God’s hand working in our lives is proof of His presence, does our inability to feel His presence mean that He is any less with us?

I have to ask this question. Because when we’re in a place of brokenness, it’s easy for us to assume that God is no longer with us. But we must know that in these times, when our lives are shattered, when we are broken, when we have no idea how to pick up the pieces…He is right there.

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalms 34:17‭-‬18 NLT)

Not only is God close to us in our brokenness, but this is when we are closest to Him.

Imagine…in the midst of our tears, that God is right there. He’s sitting besides us, with His arms wide open, and all He wants is for us to draw near to Him…to embrace Him. He wants to develop a more intimate relationship with us. One where we can bring our fears to Him…one where He can reassure us that He will never leave our side.

Psalm 34 was written by King David, while he was waiting for the promise of God to come to fruition in his life. If you know his story, you know that he was anointed to be Israel’s second king, but you also know that he had to wait years to step into his position. After David’s anointing, the Spirit of God came upon him, and the favor of God was with him.

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT)

One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.” (1 Samuel 16:18 NLT)

The favor of the Lord was with David so much, that he defeated the giant Goliath against all odds.

“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:32‭-‬37 NLT)

So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. (1 Samuel 17:50 NLT

David knew that the Lord was with him. It was evident in the fact that he was able to kill lions and bears. It was evident in the fact that he was anointed to be king. It was evident in the fact that he was chosen to play for King Saul, and victorious at slaying the giant. David’s successes were evidence of God’s approval and favor over his life. But does that mean that he always felt this way? Absolutely not. In fact, after David’s victory over Goliath, his life took a turn for the worse.

In 1 Samuel 18, we see that Saul becomes jealous of David. He’s upset that the people of Israel are praising David’s success and belittling his own. Saul can see that the favor of God has left him; he can see that the Lord’s favor has instead rested on David. The bible says that a tormenting spirit came upon Saul, and he began acting like a madman.

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman. David was playing the harp, as he did each day. But Saul had a spear in his hand, and he suddenly hurled it at David, intending to pin him to the wall. But David escaped him twice. (1 Samuel 18:8‭-‬11 NLT)

Saul became obsessed with killing David, but the Lord was still with him. The Lord always found a way to keep David safe. But, that does not mean that David always felt this way. In the book of Psalms, we gain insight into some of David’s thoughts as he waited for God to rescue him.

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? (Psalms 13:1‭-‬2 NLT)

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief. (Psalms 22:1‭-‬2 NLT)

There were times when David felt abandoned.There were times when he felt forgotten. But at the end of the day, his feelings were not a reflection of God’s presence in his life. And through his darkest days, he found this truth.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalms 23:1‭-‬6 NLT)

Through his darkest days, David understood that God was shepherding him, regardless of what his circumstances looked like. When he rested in the meadow, God was with him. And when we walked through the darkest valley– the valley of death, the place that he didn’t think he could survive– God was still with him. And He is with you.

Even when you can’t feel Him, He’s with you.

I’m not sure where you find yourself now, but I can assure you that He is with you. He’s with you in the middle of your triumphs; He’s with you in the middle of your best days. But, He’s also with you in the middle of your worst days. He’s there in your pain and sorrow…those days when you feel like giving up. He’s there in the middle of your disappointment…when you doubt the hope and faith you once had. He’s still with you, and He wants to lead you out of that place. He wants to remind you of His goodness. He wants to share with you His grace. He wants you to experience His unfailing love. And He wants to remind you of who He’s called you to be. The proof isn’t in where you are. The proof is in who you’re with.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me that my circumstances are not a reflection of your presence in my life. I know that regardless of what I see, you are with me…you are shepherding me..and you are leading me in the direction of the promise that you’ve spoken over my life. When I experience victory, you are with me. When I feel defeated, you are with me. And because you are with me, I know that you will work everything out for my good. I pray that you will remind me of this along the way, Father. Remind me of your presence. Allow me to experience your goodness. And show me your favor…even in my darkest of days. I love you, and I trust you. In Jesus name, amen.