God Moments

When Peace Feels Distant

by Carrie Eudy

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not be dismayed, for I am with your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will strengthen you and with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

It can be hard to stay calm during a storm sometimes. We may question why God allows certain things to happen to us. From personal experience, I know being strong all the time can feel impossible. Living a life filled with anxiety has shown me that. But I have learned from today’s verse that we are not strong without God. We can only make it if we rely on God to give us strength.

Many times, I have tried to be strong on my own. Every time I failed. This always led to an anxiety attack or a full-on spiral. Though we struggle to feel God’s peace from time to time, God calls us to lay all our burdens and crowns at the foot of the cross. He wants us to give it all to Him. For He cares greatly for us and loves us deeply. Something I have learned to be comforting is thinking about God’s love for me. It is beyond my imagination. If He loves us, why would He leave us stranded? Exactly, He wouldn’t.

Looking at this verse, God says He will always be with us. And because of that, we are not to fear. I understand it can be tough not to worry. I have lived many moments where I felt nothing but fear. But I have learned to give it all to God because the devil’s lies will become quieter. The devil wants us to fear and not trust in God. That is when we must cling to Him the most. Is it always easy? No. Will our prayers always get answered how we want and in our timing? No. But we always need to remember that God is a good God. He will never forsake us. Does it feel like God is silent sometimes in the midst of our trouble? Yes. Have I ever lived a perfect season without anxiety? No. But in the end, I am stronger because of the things I go through. And so are you. Although we do not like hardships, they make us who we are.

Something to remember is that God knows what He is doing. He knows us better than we know ourselves. God knows we will make it. He knows what we need and when we need it. For is our Provider. Providing our every need. Life isn’t always easy. It hardly ever is. But does that mean we should give up? No. Because the thing about those challenging moments, we are not stuck in them. Sometimes when an anxiety attack hits me, it feels like I am stuck. But recently, God taught me to realize they will pass in those moments. I won’t be in them forever. For He also provides us with peace and joy. Some advice I try to live by is that worrying will not change anything. But trusting in God in what may feel like our worst nightmare will keep us going. If tomorrow has its worries, why not be in the present today? Because each day is the day the Lord has made. It is indeed a present.