Don’t equate the presence of God with a good mood or a pleasant temperament. God is near whether you are happy or not. But do quarry from your Bible a list of the deep qualities of God, and press them to your heart. My list reads like this:
He is still sovereign. He still knows my name.
Angels still respond to His call.
God is still faithful. He is not caught off guard.
He uses everything for His glory and my ultimate good.
Lay hold of the unchanging character of God. Pray your pain out. Pound the table. Even Jesus offered up prayers with what Hebrews 5:7 describes as “loud cries and tears.” Your family may be gone. Your supporters may have left. But God has not budged! His promise still stands: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Gen. 28:15).
