Where is God when I Need Him?

This article helps us understand why we sometimes feel alone during the most difficult times in our lives. Some may ask, "Is God really there?"

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God is our father and he loves us deeply. He always wants the best for us and is always watching over us. So, why does it appear that sometimes God abandons us? Why are some led to ask, "Where is God when I need Him?"

Here are three analogies that help us answer the question—Where is God when I need Him?

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First, we'll look at the process of learning to walk. When little children learn to walk, we don't hold on to them all the time. Sometimes we have to let them try to walk by themselves and sometimes even fall down. We know that if they fall down and maybe even get a little hurt, it is essential to learning to walk and progressing. It is similar with God and us. God holds on to us many times in life, but sometimes He has to let go for a while, sometimes long enough that we "fall down" and get hurt. However, like a wise parent with a child learning to walk, He knows it is for our good so we can progress. We have to trust God and realize that He knows us better than we know ourselves. God really is there when we need Him.

Second is the analogy of vaccinations. Why do we let our children go through pain to have a vaccination? Basically, we know that a little bit of pain now can prevent a major disease or even death later. Sometimes God lets us go through pain now to strengthen us for later situations.

Now for the final analogy to help us answer the question, "Where is God when I need Him?" We'll look at the analogy of a muscle. Here's a question for you: How does a muscle become stronger? The only way a muscle can become stronger is by some sort of resistance against that muscle. Likewise, the only way we can become stronger spiritually and emotionally is with some sort of resistance. It takes challenges and hard things happening to us to help us become stronger. Knowing this doesn't make the challenges go away, but it may help us to deal with them better. A prophet told his son, "whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 36:3).

The scripture above comes from the Book of Mormon. Order your free copy of the Book of Mormon below.

Even Jesus, Our Example, Felt Alone

As Jesus was on the cross suffering for our sins, He said, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). While on the cross, Jesus had to suffer alone, but then was later resurrected and received into eternal glory. We should follow His example and try our best to continue strong in the faith of God when we feel alone during difficult times. It is those times that we should pray the most. God will hear our prayers and after a time of being alone, will later comfort us, and if we endure to the end, we will then be resurrected and also received into His eternal glory.

To answer the question, "Where is God when I need Him?" we can say that He is there loving us but may leave us alone for a while so we can prove ourselves and become stronger.