@re-joyce 18 April 2025 more from that month

People often associate God’s presence with blessings, success, or good feelings because it gives a sense of confirmation: “Things are going well, so I must be doing something right. God must be on my side.” It’s comforting and reinforces faith. But when things go wrong—suffering, failure, loss—it can feel like abandonment. People struggle to reconcile pain with the idea of a loving, present God. It’s not always easy to see that growth, strength, and faith often come through struggle. Many spiritual traditions actually teach that God is especially close during hardship, but that’s a harder truth to feel than to say. 1. God’s Presence in Suffering: • Psalm 34:18 (NIV) – “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” • This verse reminds us that God isn’t just with us in joy, but is close—even closer—when we’re hurting. 2. The Story of Job: • Job lost everything—wealth, health, family—yet he never stopped wrestling with God. His story shows that suffering doesn’t mean God’s absence; rather, it’s a space where faith deepens. • Job 1:21 – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 3. Paul’s Trials and God’s Strength: • 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” • Paul understood that God’s presence wasn’t proven by comfort or ease, but by grace and strength in weakness. 4. Jesus on the Cross: • Even Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), quoting Psalm 22. Yet in that moment of deepest pain, God’s redemptive plan was being fulfilled. His suffering wasn’t a sign of God’s absence—it was God’s love in action. “God’s presence isn’t a reward for good circumstances—it’s a constant. Faith matures when we realize He is just as present in the valleys as on the mountaintops. Trusting in God means acknowledging His presence regardless of how things are going.” 🥹🩷