Yes, a few years ago everyone was looking for Nemo, the little lost clown fish. We aren’t talking about Nemo, or a person who is lost. We are talking about a much bigger question.
Have you ever gotten to the point where you questioned if God is there? Whether you thought it or said it, you got so disgusted with your life — the broken bone that knocked you out of your sports season; the disease you realized you had when you thought you just had a cold; the way you feel when your parents don’t understand, not to mention the poor grade you got on your Geometry test that you studied for forever — your perplexed condition brought you to the point of saying “Where is God anyway?”
You are not the first one to ask that question. Many before you, even those who are listed in the Bible as men and women of great faith, and those who oppose God, were found to be asking that same question during great stress, pain, and hardship. Look for yourself in the setting and story of these verses in the Bible: 2 Kings 2:14; Psalm 42:3; Jeremiah 2:6; Micah 7:10; John 8:19.
You may be asking this question out of disgust because you don’t believe in God anyway. Or you may be asking this question because you deeply love God, but your struggle has become bigger to you than your God. Your struggle and hurt now consumes your vision and blocks your view of God, instead of God being your focus and your hurt and pain being the instruments in the Creator’s hands to make you what He wants you to be — conformed to the image of His Son. Therefore, you cry out, or quietly mumble, “God, Where are you?” or, “God, why have you forsaken me?” Familiar, huh? Yes, Jesus, God’s own Son, God in the flesh, said these words while on the cross – not because of doubt of God’s existence, but because of the extent of His physical and spiritual pain (Matt.27:46).
God is always there! God is in all places and sees all things. God is with you. One of the names of Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us” (2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3; Psalm 33:18; Isaiah 7:14).
To take it a step farther, no one can escape or hide from God’s presence. And, like the sun on cloudy day, you may not feel or see the sun, but it’s there. You may not feel or see God, but He is there (Psalm 139; Lamentations 3:22-23).
I hope you choose to live in light of, and be focused on, the reality of God’s existence and presence both today and with all the remaining days on earth God gives you.