When We Are At Our Worst He Is At His Best

 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8 

 Feeling the presence of God is one of the best things in the world. Often, it has been during my worst times, at my lowest, most ill periods of my life, that God has felt the closet to me.  

  God knows our greatest need, and He sees when we are suffering and in misery. What a comfort it is to sense His presence in the midst of our pain and suffering. 

  Pain and misery can leave us feeling very alone and isolated. It can seem that no one really understands what we are going through. When all around us people seem happy and their lives are going well, then we consider how great our difficulties and suffering are and loneliness can envelop us. 

  It is human nature to avoid suffering and misery. When one is well, and everything is going their way with few problems to deal with, such a person cannot fully comprehend our situation when we suffer. And their tendency is to avoid thinking about, and perhaps even being around someone who is suffering. Let’s admit it. Going to nursing homes, visiting hospitals, dealing with someone who is sick, these are not at the top of the agenda of most healthy people. They don’t want to consider that someday it could be them in that situation. 

  So often those who are ill and suffering do not find themselves surrounded by comforting people. And even when people do try to comfort us, they don’t understand the depth of our suffering. 

  Thankfully, Jesus knows everything we are going through, and He absolutely understands our suffering. More than this, Jesus is with us in our suffering as His Spirit comforts us and gives us peace in the midst of our pain. He gives us strength for our weaknesses. 

  Call upon Jesus, ask Him into your pain and misery. Ask for His peace in place of your pain. We have a Lord who loves us, cares for us, and is always with us at all times of our life during both the good and the miserable experiences. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, so often we feel alone in our misery, come into our pain and suffering, fill us with Yourself. We need You always, but especially in the loneliness of our misery. Thank You for being with us Jesus, Amen.