Have you ever been through a situation which left you emotionally, mentally, and even physically devastated?

Maybe you’ve been working at the same company for many years and one day, out of the blue, you receive a notice that you’re being laid off. You immediately panic and wonder how you will afford mortgage payments, car loans, and your daughter’s medical school. Maybe you’re a woman of God who has faithfully served in the Sunday school ministry, only to be told that having children of your own will be difficult, if not downright impossible. Or perhaps you’re a high school student who, after studying hard and hiring a tutor, still fails their math class and wonders if they’ll ever get into university.

We all have moments when our hopes are dashed and our dreams are shattered. In the blink of an eye, our world crumbles around us and the devastation seems insurmountable. We may share our pain with friends and family, but we don’t always get the reactions we hope for. At best, our loved ones offer us words of encouragement, telling us that “things will work out” or “there’s always next year”. At worst, they accuse, shame, and condemn us, adding salt to our open wounds.

In the midst of our suffering, we ask ourselves: where is God in all of this? Does he see the pain I’m going through? Does he have a solution to my problems? Does he even care? The short answer to these questions is YES! In Psalm 34, David states: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”. In other words, not only does God see you, but more importantly, he is present with you. He is there when you receive that doctor’s report, see the bad grade on your report card, or wonder how you’ll provide for your family.

The psalm writer rests assured in the knowledge that God is present and that he alone is the cure for a crushed spirit. As a result, the very next verse of Psalm 34 exclaims: “Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” God is not a fair-weather friend. He does not love us in the good times only to abandon us when things get rough. On the contrary, he remains close to us in our pain and one way or another, he finds a way to work out every difficult situation for our good (Romans 8:28). No matter what you experience in this life, whether it is financial, marital, career-related, hopelessness, guilt, or something else that only you know, God knows your needs and he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). At the end of the day, God is the only one who can understand your heartache and ultimately, he is the only one who can save you from it. Trust in him! For “those who look to God are radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5)!