Always There

 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. —Genesis 41:46 ESV

Have you ever seen a parent or been a parent trying to teach your child how to ride a bicycle? The parent would start by supporting the child as they start to ride, initially running alongside them, ensuring they get a handle of their balance. Then maybe move to the back, reducing the support, but still being there. Finally, they take away their support once the child has a good grasp of what they are doing. However, during the final stage, the parent might have withdrawn their support, but they are still there just in case the child falters.

God is just like that parent and even more to us. Parents can only protect their children when they are nearby or in their presence. There is very little they can do to protect their children when they are absent. Our God is never absent; He is always near to protect and guide us.

When we are going through hard times, it sometimes feels like God isn’t nearby. Even though we pray, He doesn’t seem to hear or answer, and relief isn’t coming.

Let’s look at the story of Joseph. He was about 17 years old when he dreamt of his siblings and parents bowing before him. It wasn’t until 13 years later that he rose to power in Egypt. During the years in between, he was sold into slavery, worked as a servant and was imprisoned unjustly. In all his suffering, God was near to him and was in control, orchestrating his story.

There are many stories in the Bible where the children of God had to endure difficult times in order to reach God’s ultimate goal for them. David had to wait years after he was anointed to become the king of Israel, and reading through some of the book of Psalms, it is obvious that those were tough years for him.

In the same way, no matter what you are going through, no matter how hard it might feel, the Father is near, orchestrating your story.

  ^“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (ESV)

God is always near His children, but He may not always act when we want Him to and may not answer our prayers in the ways we want either. However, through it all, He will work everything out for our good and for His glory.

Stay blessed,

LaraLex