When the Clouds Hide the Sun
Devotional Reading: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
Sometimes life feels like a cloudy day, you know the sun is still shining, but all you see are thick gray skies. That is exactly how it feels when God seems far away. You may not “see” Him or “feel” Him, but His reality hasn’t changed. The sun doesn’t resign from the sky because clouds showed up. In the same way, God doesn’t resign from your life because you had a rough week. The problem is, many of us treat God’s presence as a Wi-Fi or Internet signal… if the bars are high, we are convinced He is with us, but if the bars drop, we panic. Faith is learning to live beyond the bars.
When you hit that dry season, wisdom says, “Don’t build your faith on your feelings, build it on God’s faithfulness.” David knew this truth well. In Psalm 42, he said his soul was downcast, but then he commanded himself to hope in God.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is preach to yourself, reminding your heart that God has not abandoned you. In fact, the gap you feel might be an invitation to dig deeper. It is in those silent seasons that the roots of your faith grow stronger, like a tree pushing deeper into the soil during drought. The absence of “chills” is not the absence of God.
When you sense God is far, lean into disciplines that anchor you; scripture meditation, gratitude, and worship even without the mood. You’d be surprised how singing a song of thanksgiving can shift your perspective. It’s like switching on a flashlight in a dark room… the darkness may not vanish instantly, but your steps become clearer. Don’t let silence push you into quitting prayer; let it push you into trusting God more. Remember, faith is not about feeling God every second, but about knowing He is faithful every second.
Prayer and Confession
Lord, even when I don’t feel You, I choose to believe You are near. I rest in Your Word above my feelings. I declare that my faith is anchored in Your unchanging nature, not in the rise and fall of my emotions. Amen.
Further Reading: Psalm 42:5, Isaiah 43:1-3, Romans 8:38-39
