Where Is God When Life Is Hard?Sample

God Sees You

Do you ever feel like God is far away or doesn’t see what you’re going through? You’re not alone. When we face problems big and small, it’s common to wonder why our loving, kind, and all-powerful God would allow us to feel so defeated, anxious, and alone.

In today’s first Bible passage, you’ll see the writers of Psalm 42 process similar feelings. They seem to alternate between asking hard questions and affirming their trust in God. This matters because it shows us that even the Bible’s authors wondered where God was when life got tough.

You’re not alone in your questions, and this Plan is a safe space for you to process your questions, find comfort in God’s promises, and discover a path forward.

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we meet a woman named Hagar. She had an incredibly difficult life. She was enslaved far from her home, and her masters regularly mistreated her. In a moment of desperation, she ran away. But God saw Hagar in her worst moment and cared for her. He promised to give her and her son a future.

Hagar called God El Roi: “the God who sees me.”

Hard times can make us feel isolated, but we’re never truly alone. God is always with us, though He rarely jumps straight to offering solutions. He sits with us instead, offering His comforting presence—like the great Friend that He is.

So when we feel alone or like God doesn’t see us, let’s remember that God promises never to leave us. It’s natural sometimes to feel like He’s gone or didn’t notice what happened to us, but those feelings don’t reflect reality. He’s not far, and He’s not too busy to care about you. He’s close and He cares.

Where is God when life is hard? Exactly where He says He’ll be: Right next to you, a comforting presence in any situation.

Pray: Dear God, I know you see me, even when life feels challenging. Please help me to find hope, comfort, and strength in You. I don’t know what’s next for me, but I know that You’re with me every step of the way. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Challenge: When you feel alone, remember that God sees your pain and wants to support you. You can always ask Him for help through prayer. Use one of these example prayers to get started!