Immanuel, God With Us. This statement of truth can be hard to believe when loneliness and despair set in.
God is with us; He is with YOU. No matter how separated you feel from His presence, He is always there with you. In your pain, He is hurting with you. In your rejection, He is beside you with open arms. In your loneliness, He is your ever-present friend.
These are truths, facts about God. And just like God these truths are unchanging in the face of your feelings. Our feelings can lie to us, they can be manipulated by others. They can be distorted by our perspective. Our feelings are one reason to be sure we have “our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)
Knowing the truth of God’s Word is how we fight back against the wiles of the devil. And his wiles include messing with our feelings to steal the peace that comes with knowing that God is with us and that He will never forsake us.
Here are some verses to cling to and commit to your mind and heart.
- “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17
- “And behold, I am always with you, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
- “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
- “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20
- “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
- “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
- “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
- “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
If you are going through a difficult season, study these verses and look up more verses that confirm God’s promises to be with us. The Bible is filled with them! I don’t think He’s repeating Himself so He remembers, but He repeats it frequently so WE remember.
God is with you, He stands beside you with arms wide open. Run to the Father when you feel alone, afraid, and confused. Let Him whisper His truth into your heart and fill you with the peace and comfort that only He can provide.
May God’s presence spark peace, joy, and hope in our hearts.