5 Gifts We Find in God’s Presence
The fields behind the house had just turned beige when life suddenly changed. I stared out the window and prayed that God’s presence would bring me comfort through the long months ahead.
I knew I had just stepped into a new realm of needing help from God just to get through each hour.
The day I stepped into my third nine-month struggle with hyperemesis gravidarum was both beautiful and terrifying. This medical diagnosis is the term used for a severe and debilitating illness that goes along with pregnancy and generally warrants at least partial bed rest and even hospitalization.
The first day of illness was beautiful because, for me, a pregnancy plagued by this illness is generally an indication of a viable and healthy pregnancy. It was terrifying because it was worse than I remembered, and it had only just begun.
When We Need God’s Presence
There are far worse struggles than nine months of couch-bound vomiting that will ultimately result in the gift of new life.
Some of us face illnesses that hold little hope of healing this side of heaven.
Others face seasons of wrestling with difficult goodbyes and losses far deeper than a few months of debilitating illness.
I’ve faced a few of my own, and I can’t reasonably say that pregnancy sickness is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
Nevertheless, when the illness began, I vividly remember praying, “Lord, if your presence doesn’t go with me, I cannot do this.”
Perhaps you’re familiar with this prayer.
More than God’s help, this is what you need . . .
It is wise and Biblical to pray for help. However, as I rested on the couch that afternoon, a gentle thought floated through my mind.
I realized that more than God’s help, I needed the awareness of his presence.
There is something we all need more than God’s help: We need the reminder that his presence is with us. Click To Tweet
God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (see Deuteronomy 31:6). Before Jesus ascended into heaven, his final words were a reminder that he is with us always (see Matthew 28:20).
God’s presence is with us in the most difficult valleys.
He has promised that he will never leave his children. Nevertheless, there are times when it is hard to sense his presence. In these times, we can ask God to help us become more aware of his presence with us.
Whether we sense his presence or not, God is with us. Let’s look at five gifts we find in God’s presence.
The Gifts Found in God’s Presence
1. God’s presence brings joy.
Psalm 16:11 reads, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (NIV). In God’s presence, we find joy. His joy is available to us through even the darkest valleys.
If your life lacks joy, ask God to help you become more aware of his presence with you. He wants his joy to be your strength.
2. We find companionship in God’s presence.
Psalm 139:7 reads, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
Do you feel alone?
Let God’s presence fill you with the hope that comes from knowing that you are never alone. God will never leave you. His presence brings companionship throughout the loneliest times.
3. The Lord offers rest as we draw near to him.
Just as God promised his people rest as they set out for the Promised Land, Jesus promises that those who take his yoke upon their shoulders will find rest.
We remember this promise to Moses and the Israelites as we cling to the Lord’s promise for rest: “The LORD replied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest'” (Exodus 33:14).
4. God’s presence brings peace.
Jesus spoke these words, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
This was a promise for his followers when he lived on earth, and it is a promise for us today. Do you need more peace in life?
It is available as you press close to Jesus.
5. God’s presence brings provision.
The following promise was God’s promise to Jacob, and it is his promise for us today: “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:15).
God is a good Father, and he is waiting to provide for you. Press into him and experience his provision.
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As for me, I endured my third pregnancy and the sickness that kept me housebound for months. It was not an easy journey. Nevertheless, God’s presence carried me through it. He wants to do the same for you.
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