The Comfort of God's Presence

God’s “I Am With You” is the deepest answer to our longings.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Photo by Jaimy Willemse on Unsplash

When my children were little and afraid of lightning and thunder, it was no comfort to them if I said something like, “Oh, that’s just a normal electrical reaction accompanied by a loud noise. Happens all the time.” Or even worse, “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

What did comfort them? Being with them. Holding them. Showing them that they were not surviving the storm alone.

We don’t change all that much as we get older. We just get overwhelmed by different kinds of storms, storms of soul and circumstance rather than thunder and lightning. And we still aren’t comforted by explanations or platitudes. This is why Isaiah 41:10 is so beautiful.

God says those most comforting words: “I am with you.” Who, exactly, is with us? Well, he reminds us that he is our God–he is the creator, sustainer, ruler, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, holy, and the essence of love. That is who is with us. So when he says he will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us he isn’t promising to give us a hand or just be by our side. He is the source of strength and help. He is the power that upholds.

God is the one explanation, the one logical conclusion that actually brings comfort. Why should we not be afraid? Because of God. Because of God’s presence and power, and love. And because God has promised that he is with us.