When You Can't See God - Carrie Roman

Have you ever had a season of life, or a circumstance where you felt like God just wasn’t around? Or maybe you faced a problem that was too big, and you felt like you were all alone? Or maybe sin was so dark and present in your life or in the life of a loved one and you struggled to see the hand of God anywhere? If you haven’t ever felt that way, I’m so happy for you.  I, on the other hand, have felt all of those things.  Was God absent from my life? No way. He was right there, probably closer than I could have ever imagined.  But in that darkness, I couldn’t see Him.  I want to share with you what I learned in those times.

First of all, in those moments, I would tell you to remember WHO God is. He is a strong tower. Psalm 61:3, “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.” Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Revelation 22:13 He is the Ancient of Days, Daniel 7.  I don’t know about you, but it helps me to think of the mighty power and strength of the God of all Gods, when it comes to my troubles.  He has the strength I lack; He has the power to move mountains, He knows and sees all things.  He has a plan, He has a purpose, He can see the beginning and the end of a matter. It gives me strength and security to know that even when my eyes are blinded, whether by grief, or fear, or simply the darkness of sin in a situation, that OUR GOD, the ALMIGHTY is just that, almighty, all-powerful. He is the LORD Most High as it says all throughout Psalms.

Here are some other things that I remember about WHO God is:

He is the Provider, Genesis 22:14

He is the Healer, Exodus 15:26

He is our help, Psalm 70:1, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 115:11 (And there are so many more!)

He is a hiding place, Psalm 32:7, Psalm 119:114

He is our Shepherd, Psalm 23:1

He is our peace, Judges 6:24

He is the God who sees me, Genesis 16:13 

How do I remember WHO God is in the darkness? I go to His word. I remember what I’ve been taught. I LISTEN because the Holy Spirit will teach and guide and help me remember WHO He is. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 That gives me strength and builds my faith.

I also remember in those times, WHERE God is. The Bible tells us He is always with us. “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5 “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20 I might not be able to "see" God when things are so cloudy and dark, but I KNOW he is with me because, again, HE IS GOD, and He said He would be. I know He is the Truth, and I can believe what He says. If He says He is with me, HE IS, whether I can see Him or not. 

It also builds my faith to look back at WHAT God has done in the past. Sometimes it's looking at the children of Israel and how, time after time, God delivered them from the worst of things. Some of those things were their own doing (as is often my case), and sometimes they were delivered from the enemy. I have seen the hand of the enemy at work in my family. Those were dark times. So dark that I literally did not see how even the God of the Universe could triumph. But you know what? He did. Praise His holy name. I will never cease to praise Him for His redeeming power. And do you know what I do when sin, trouble, fear, darken my spiritual skies again? I remember. I remember that He can make all things good. "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles." Psalm 25:22 He is a God of redemption. (What a great word!) I remind Him that I'll give Him glory for what He does in my life. Isaiah 41:20, "That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it." He is working. He has a plan. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." I look back and remember how God has shown Himself faithful in my past, and throughout His Word. I have asked Him to "Shew me a token for good." Psalm 86:17 In the middle of my darkness that verse was a desperate plea for God to show me small "tokens of good" that would assure me that, even if I couldn't continuously see God in a situation, He was there and working. Now as I look back, it's more a prayer that God will show my situation, my dark times, and what I've learned in them, as a light, a token, of how good God is, and what “a very present help He is in time of trouble,'' Psalm 46:1.  He is the great Redeemer. 

And then I remember His PROMISES. As we just read, He has an "expected end" for us. Jeremiah 29:11 He thinks about us. He is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think," Ephesians 3:20. He has worked all things together for good. Romans 8:28 His promises are endless. His mercies are new every morning. He is faithful and true. Search His word for the promises He’s given. 

I will testify that, though none of the above will magically erase the circumstances that cloud your view of God, the clouds of spiritual darkness will slowly part and His LIGHT will shine through in your darkness.  And if you never get to the point where you feel like you can “see” God in your darkest time, remember, my friend, HE SEES YOU. “Thou God seest me,” Genesis 16:13. He IS faithful, true, dependable, trustworthy, merciful, loving, and He cares about us. “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you,” 1Peter 5:7. Trust Him. Believe Him. Draw nigh to Him. He is GOOD, and He is working.