Where is God When Life Changes?
September 23, 2021 • by Shar Walker
He went from sick to near-death within a few hours. It was jarring.
His tiny chest looked like an invisible elephant was resting on it. As they wheeled the stretcher into the oversized elevator of the children’s hospital, his one-month-old body securely strapped upright, the doctors and nurses moved into their respective positions like well-trained dancers.
I stood in the corner and watched them as they tethered my son to a myriad of cords and wires.
THE INEVITABLE IS STILL SHOCKING
Where is God when life alters so quickly?
We know change is inevitable. To be human is to experience the ebbs and flows of life. Some changes are planned and are accompanied with minimal strain; others are so life-altering we sometimes refer to them as death and rebirth.
It’s no surprise the Bible refers to a change as transformative as becoming a Christian as a rebirth. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3:3). And 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”
We know our lives will change, but the inevitable is still shocking. Even when change is good, it’s hard. Yet with every change, we have an opportunity to learn with greater conviction that God is good.
“Yet with every change, we have an opportunity to learn with greater conviction that God is good.”
THE COMPASSION OF GOD IN OUR CHANGE
When life shifts unexpectedly (or even expectedly), we can find comfort in the person of Jesus who was fully God and fully man. He knows through experience what it’s like to live in an unpredictable and ever-changing world. Even though he knew change was inevitable, and even knew the details of certain changes, he wasn’t shielded from the pain of it all. He wept when Lazarus died (John 11:45), and he experienced immense overwhelm when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44).
Yet even as he experienced change, fear, and pain, Christ remained in perfect peace—a peace we too can find as we abide deeply in his presence.
Maybe that’s why the most frequent command in the Bible, “fear not,” is often followed by “for I am with you.” We’re commanded not to fear, not because there’s nothing to fear. At any given moment, our lives can alter permanently. We’re commanded not to fear because we have access to the one who gets it, the one stable presence in this world—a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Our constant God is not just steadfast, he’s with us. He’s with you.
Whatever change you’re experiencing, God is with you. Right now. He sees you. He hears you. He loves you.
Christ has compassion for our suffering, in part because he’s experienced it himself. He knows what it is to walk through the ambiguity of life, trusting an unknown future to a known God.
“Whatever change you’re experiencing, God is with you. Right now. He sees you. He hears you. He loves you.”
WHERE IS GOD WHEN LIFE CHANGES?
I spent hours in that hospital room, listening to the chorus of monitors and barely mustering a one-word prayer of “Help.” I studied the machines and science around me—the work of mankind’s hands. I was thankful for them. But they weren’t my truest hope.
My truest hope—namely God himself—was not any more or less present as I sat in silence in the ICU room. He is always with us. But I felt his presence most accurately when I was still and desperate.
In the two weeks my son was in the hospital, I wrote a blessing that I prayed over him each day. I would gently place my hand on his chest, which breathed with greater ease thanks to the ventilator, and softly speak,
“May Christ’s love quiet your anxious heart.
May Christ’s love bear your unbearable burdens.
May Christ’s love lead you beside still waters.
May Christ’s love restore your soul.”
As I prayed these words, I realized they were becoming more and more true for me too. In the midst of my desperation, Christ was quieting my heart with his love and his presence.
From time to time when I think back to those moments, I still hear the gentle voice saying, “Fear not. I am with you.” I reflect back and remember with bolstered confidence that “we’re in good hands” (Huston Smith interview).
So, where is God when life changes? He’s where he always is. He’s with you.
SharDavia “Shar” Walker lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband and two sons. She works as the senior writer for a Christian nonprofit. Shar is a writer and speaker, and loves getting lost in a good book and story (historical fiction and science fiction are her favorites). She also enjoys watching the show Survivor, reading, listening to podcasts, and writing hand-written letters. Shar is a member at Blueprint Church in Atlanta, GA. You can find more of her writings at sharwalker.com.
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