God Is Still With Me
I want to talk about something that many of us wrestle with at some point in our lives:
How do we know God is with us when life falls apart?
It’s easy to believe God is with us when things are going well.
But when life gets heavy… when prayers feel unanswered… when doors close… it can feel like God has gone silent.
Over the last few years, that has been a question I have personally wrestled with.
The Bible reminds us that God’s presence is not dependent on our circumstances.
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
God spoke these words to Israel as they were stepping into an uncertain future.
They were afraid. Their leader Moses was gone.
But God reassured them of something powerful:
“You may not know what lies ahead, but you will not face it alone.”
David wrote something very honest in Psalm 23:4.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
Notice something important:
David didn’t say God would keep us out of the valley.
He said God would walk through the valley with us.
Sometimes the presence of God isn’t shown by removing the struggle, but by carrying us through it.
Over the last three years, I have been walking through a valley. Each of you have walked through this with me through your prayers and encouragement. For that I am grateful.
For 20 years, I poured my life into my job. I worked hard, sacrificed holidays, time with family, and gave everything I had to something I believed in.
But over the last several years, things became increasingly difficult.
The pressure, expectations, and struggles at work began to take a toll on me emotionally and spiritually. I found myself battling depression, questioning my value, and wondering if everything I had invested was slipping away.
Then on March 5th, 2026, after twenty years of service, I was let go.
Despite how hard I worked… despite the sacrifices… it was over.
At the same time, for the past nine months, my wife and I have been separated. Being without her has been one of the deepest emotional pains I have experienced.
When you combine that with the struggles in my job, it creates a weight that sometimes feels overwhelming.
Right now, financially speaking, we are hurting badly.
We are behind on our house payments, and there are moments where the uncertainty of the future can feel frightening.
And I’ll be honest with you… there have been moments during this season where I have asked God:
“Do you even see me anymore?”
“Do you still care?”
Those are hard questions to admit out loud… but I believe many of us have asked them in our own valleys.
There is a story in the Bible that has encouraged me during this time: Joseph.
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and thrown into prison.
Yet the Bible repeatedly says something remarkable:
“The Lord was with Joseph.” (Genesis 39)
Not when everything was going well…
Even when he was in prison.
Sometimes God is working behind the scenes in ways we cannot yet see.
During this season, there have been moments when God has gently reminded me that He has not abandoned me.
There is a song we just listened to is by the band The Afters called Light Up the Sky that says:
“You light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me that you are with me
And I, I, I can't deny
No I can't deny that you are right here with me
You've opened my eyes
So I can see you all around me
You light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me that you are with me”
That lyric has spoken to my heart many times lately.
Even when life feels dark, God has ways of reminding us that He is still there.
Sometimes it’s through a friend.
Sometimes through Scripture.
Sometimes through a quiet moment where His peace breaks through the storm.
If there is one thing I am learning through this valley, it is this:
God’s presence is not measured by how easy life is.
It is measured by the quiet strength He gives us to keep going.
Even when we feel lost…
Even when we feel broken…
Even when the future feels uncertain…
God’s promise remains the same.
Isaiah 41:10
“Do not fear, for I am with you… I will strengthen you and help you.”
I want to paint a picture that came to me as I was writing this.
When we look up at the night sky, sometimes it can be completely covered with clouds. On those nights you might think the stars are gone. You might even say, “There are no stars tonight.”
But the truth is, the stars never left.
They are still there… shining exactly as they always have.
The only difference is that something is blocking our view of them.
Life can feel like that sometimes.
Over the last three years, the clouds in my life have felt very heavy.
The struggles with my job… the depression… losing my job on March 5th after twenty years… being separated from my wife for the last nine months… and the financial stress we’re facing right now.
Those clouds have been thick.
There have been moments where I looked up and wondered, “God, are you still there?”
But slowly I’m learning something important.
Just because I can’t always see what God is doing…
doesn’t mean He stopped working.
Just because the sky feels dark…
doesn’t mean the stars disappeared.
And sometimes, just like that song says, God gives us a reminder.
A moment of peace.
A conversation with someone who encourages us.
A verse that hits us at exactly the right time.
It’s like God lighting up the sky just enough to remind us:
"I’m still here."
Jesus said in Matthew 28:20:
“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Not just when life is good.
Not just when our plans succeed.
Always.
Even in the valleys.
Even in the storms.
Even when the clouds are thick.
God is still there.
And the stars are still shining.
So if anyone here feels like they’re standing under a very cloudy sky…
Don’t lose hope.
Because even when we cannot see Him clearly,
God is still lighting the sky.
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