Closeness to God in Painful Seasons
God, in His faithfulness and kindness, gave us Himself His whole self and made Him accessible through Jesus Christ. I’ve noticed that the only way I function well is when I’m close to Him. Not that I am perfect, but closeness makes me more sensitive, humble, and teachable. It helps me forgive, be forgiven, and be led or to lead wisely. Being with God feels whole and complete. But what happens if I try to run from Him? I won’t lie sometimes even in His presence, life hurts. Sometimes I question why God allows certain things to happen and why He doesn’t intervene immediately. My mind begins to think: maybe I should step away, even disapprove of what God allows, and seek relief apart from Him. The story of Jonah gives the perfect analogy. Jonah ran because God asked him to do something uncomfortable. He thought freedom lay in running. But what he found was the opposite: running from God only brought emptiness. I’ve seen the same in my own life when I try to escape the uncomfortable m...