When was God when we needed Him the most?

When was God when we needed Him the most?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
November 19, 2013

Several years ago I worked for a church and one of the pastors and I became friends. We had many conversations about God and our thoughts of Him. She told me that she had to write her sermons several weeks in advance. Most of the time, they just flow without any problems. Once in a while she'll be writing what will fit and all of a sudden, it just takes on a life of its own. She would struggle to get back on track until she realized that it wasn't so much what she wanted to say as what someone was going to need to hear.

Sure enough, most people wouldn't get her message but there was always one or two with tears in their eyes.

With God, we all have a habit of looking for Him to show up when we need Him but fail to see Him when He is all around us.

The expression "God only gives us what we can handle" irks me. (Ok, you know what I meant so let that one go) When you tell someone that, especially when they are suffering, you are basically telling them God just did it to them as some kind of cosmic test. Not very comforting and one of the dumbest things anyone can say, so please, if you can't think of anything to say, don't say anything. Maybe this will help instead.

I'm trusting that someone needs to hear/read this the way my pastor friend does.

God is everywhere but He isn't in the cause of your pain, suffering, misery or your heartache. It isn't a test for you. It is whatever it is. When we suffer, it seems impossible to find anything hopeful in it. The truth is, it is always right in front of us but we just can't see Him in it.

He is in the hand that reaches out to comfort you.

Most of the time they are also in pain but their thought is to comfort you.

Sometimes it is when strangers just shows up out of nowhere.

Sometimes it is when other people show up, leaving their own troubles behind for the sake of others. Like when the National Guards show up along with firefighters and police officers.

Sometimes it is when volunteers drop what they need and think of you. Or people always ready to write a check for ten dollars because you need it more than they do and they don't even know you.

Sometimes it is when a prayer goes up from a stranger that you are comforted. Or when someone is putting their life on the line for your sake and your simple prayer of "God watch over them" comes from your heart.

God is there when we do for others. God is there when we feel for others sake miles away from us and they never know it.

Today things can look pretty bad but when you look back, you'll see times when it looked bad too but someone showed up and let you know that you mattered. It could have been a stranger letting you go first or offering you a smile. Someone calling you just to see how you were feeling. A hand that reached out when you felt as if you were invisible. That strange feeling that came over you as if someone was thinking of you right before the phone rings or the text message comes. That friend from long ago walking up to you in the parking lot as if they just hit the lottery because they saw you.

God is all around us but sometimes we're expecting Him to show up in a huge way, almost like the weight of the sorrow we carry may seem to huge for our shoulders but He shows up all around us when someone hears Him ask them to do something for the sake of others.

Some people do it all the time. It makes them happy to help make others burden a little lighter. Most of the time it is because they remember when someone helped them. Others do it all the time and they are carrying their own burdens but have enough strength to carry your's as well. God is right there with them helping them carry that load they didn't have to take on.

Don't be so shocked to discover He was there all along because when your suffering is over and days get better, you'll do the same for someone else because He'll be right there too guiding you to do what you need to do.

Whatever you do with love, you are showing that God is there.