One of the most frequently asked questions in a crisis is, “Where is God when we suffer?” I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I’d offer this thought: God doesn’t abandon us in our suffering. He’s present with us in it.
Nothing feels more lonely or more isolating than pain. Which is why when we’re hurting, God reaches out to us through people. We don’t have to search for Him in the clouds or hope a divine apparition appears. God works through you and me to extend His grace and love into the world and to offer hope when circumstances are bleak.
I’m reminded of German pastor Martin Rinkart who ministered in a region struck by famine and disease in the 1600s. For months, his community endured dozens of funerals a day. Most authority figures eventually fled for their own safety. Rinkart stayed behind and came alongside the sick and dying.
God is wherever the sick are treated and the dying are comforted. He works through the hands of skilled surgeons or through a cup of cold water offered to someone who’s thirsty. He’s with you when you’re easing someone’s burden. Or when they’re easing yours.
In Psalm 139:7, King David asked, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” His conclusion was (v.8), “If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!”
Even when our circumstances are at their worst and we feel alone, God is with us. Always.
