God is There When the World Moves On

I remember a time when I experienced one of the most traumatic events of my life. Later that evening, when things settled down, I and the deputy I was with walked into a local sandwich shop. We were greeted by a friendly lady who asked: “How are you today?” I remember the surreal nature of that moment. As we both looked at each other, knowing there was no way she could grasp what we had just seen – we simply responded, “Great, how are you?”

That moment taught me a few powerful lessons:

• You never know what someone else is going through. Everyone has their own stories and struggles that remain hidden below the surface. We must approach each person with sensitivity and compassion.
• You can’t fully enter everyone’s story. As much as we may want to help carry someone’s burden, there are life experiences that can only be fully understood by those who lived them. The most we can do is listen, love, and pray.
• You don’t have to take that burden on yourself – God is already there. In everyday moments and deepest tragedies, God is actively present and ministering to people in ways we cannot.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that there is a season for everything under heaven – “a time to be born and a time to die.” When we go through seasons of grief, loss, and trauma, others often rally around to support and comfort us. But even the closest of friends drift in their own directions over time while we are left to process the aftermath.

In those lonely seasons, we can experience the love of Jesus in profoundly intimate ways. Hebrews 13:5 assures us that he will “never leave us nor forsake us.” Our human friends and loved ones may move on in life without intending to leave us behind. But it is the inevitable nature of earthly relationships. Jesus, however, never drifts from our side or loses interest in our story.

The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:39).” Christ is not bound by the limits of time as we are. His Spirit remains present with us, bringing comfort, wisdom, and companionship.

Proverbs 18:24 states that God is the friend who “sticks closer than a brother.” While human friends love us, listen to us, and seek to understand us, there are limits to what they can fully grasp about our inner lives. But the Psalmist assures us that God wants to know the intimate details of our story. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know, when I sit down, and when I rise up, you discern my thoughts from afar…My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance” (Psalm 139:1-2, 15-16). There is nothing about us that he does not fully perceive or care about deeply.

When some distance inevitably comes between us and our closest human friends, we may feel forgotten or abandoned. But Scripture tells us that is not the case with Christ. Isaiah 49:15-16 uses vivid imagery to drive this point home: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” God’s perfect love and attention towards us is infinitely greater than a mother’s love for her child. He could never forget us.

Finally, part of God’s promise is that those who leave us behind to walk alone on earth will one day be reunited with us in eternity. Matthew Henry declared, “Tears are a tribute to our deceased friends. When the body is sown, it must be watered. But we must not sorrow as those that have no hope; for we have a good hope through grace both concerning them and concerning ourselves.” Erwin Lutzer said it this way, “Think of how powerless death actually is! Rather than rid us of our health, it introduces us to ‘riches eternal.’ In exchange for poor health, death gives us a right to the Tree of Life that is for ‘the healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2). Death might temporarily take our friends from us, but only to introduce us to that land in which there are no good-byes.”

Though the world moves on without the people we love, death never has the final word for those who are in Christ. Our losses and grief are painful beyond words, but someday, Christ will unite us with believers from every time and place in the perfection of heaven. God is patiently weaving all our earthly stories into a tapestry too beautiful for us to yet imagine.

So when your path takes you through tragedy, and everyone else’s life marches forward, remember that you are never alone. Jesus promises: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you” (John 14:18). As I type these words from a hospital room, I can assure you – the world moves on, but He remains.

Remembering God’s Presence

If you are walking through a lonely season of grief, loss, or pain, here are some action steps

• Set aside regular quiet time to read Scripture and meditate on God’s presence and love for you. Some key passages to focus on include Psalm 23, Psalm 139, John 14, and Romans 8.
• Journal about your thoughts and emotions during this time. Pouring them out on paper can help process them in a healthy way.
• Talk honestly with God about your anger, sadness, confusion, etc. He can handle even our most intense emotions.
• Look for a grief support group that can provide empathy, understanding, and practical help. Don’t try to walk this road alone.
• Consider counseling if your grief becomes consuming or turns into depression. There’s no shame in seeking help.
• Ask yourself: Where have I seen God recently, even in small ways? Make a note of any subtle traces of His presence.