“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
-Deuteronomy 31:8
Have y’all ever felt lonely? Have you ever wondered if anyone could ever understand your story or your pain or your troubled heart? Have you ever wondered where on earth God is, especially when your heart or the hearts of people you love are breaking? ME TOO! This has been one of those anchoring verses for my soul that I’ve clung to on the days when I’ve felt SO alone, on the days when it was really hard for me to believe that this promise of constant companionship is true. I’m so grateful for the anchor. I’m grateful to know that wherever I am, God has already been there. This verse doesn’t necessarily promise that I’ll never be in hard or sorrowful or lonely places, and no matter how much I wish God promised this, this verse doesn’t promise that whenever I am in a places of suffering that God will rescue me right away.
This verse points me to the very heart of God. He wants us to remember that He is ALWAYS with us, and He wants us to come close, to rest in His arms. I love that this verse ends with such simple instructions. “Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.” There are days when I have NO idea how to curb the fear or discouragement in my heart, but I can tell you this: taking time to remember that God is with me wherever I go, almost always shifts something around in my heart. What a comfort to know that no matter what we are facing, we’re never alone.
In the wake of a terrible tornado that devastated much of Nashville, we are heartbroken. Tornadoes and storms and loss are scary and so so sad. In the same breath, we have seen and known the nearness of God. Comfort has come through the hands and feet of His children, showing up, embracing, crying with us, clearing debris, bringing food, opening their homes, offering a warm place to stay with power. I have not even been able to respond to all of the generous offers to help. It has been overwhelmingly wonderful to know first hand that there is no storm we’ll ever face alone. The storm is never the end of the story… there is love and light and hope that sprouts up out of the wreckage. Whatever storm you are facing today friends, know that you are never alone.
