“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20.
There are seasons when God feels as close as a friend. The days shimmer with excitement as we learn more about our Lord and lean into His love. Every prayer, moment in Scripture, and praise sung in worship is filled with an intense feeling of God’s presence.

Christ was and is sinless, but the Father turned away because the Son bore the sins of us all, enduring the punishment we deserved. We will never have to experience the pain of separation that our Savior did on the cross if we have trusted in Him for salvation. However, the presence of sin in our lives can make us push the Lord away from us. We do what Adam and Eve did in the garden by hiding ourselves from Him. But even then, God pursued them just as He does when we choose to do wrong. Jesus died on the cross while we were still sinners, demonstrating His great love (Romans 5:8). We do not have to question whether God cares when we think He has turned away.

We cannot divorce our faith from our feelings, for God created us with emotions. We can, however, recognize that our faith is much more than what we feel or see. Those seasons of spiritual dryness may leave us weary and wondering where the Lord is, but He remains as close as a friend; yes, closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). For our Lord promised that He would be with us always. That remains true whether we feel Him or not.

There are days, O Lord, when loneliness overwhelms us. We try to talk to You and listen to Your Word, but everything feels empty, and we wonder if You are listening. Our words echo what the psalmist, Job, and Jeremiah asked so long ago: Why do You feel distant in times of distress? Why do you turn away from us?

Yet, faith tells us that You never left and that You never will. The cross reminds us that You, Jesus, endured separation from the Father so that we could have eternal life, an everlasting relationship with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Remind us again, loving God, that we're not alone. May we cling to the promise of Your presence in every circumstance, whether we're experiencing spiritual highs or lows. We will trust that You go before us and are beside us, despite our emotions.
In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.