Why Do We Feel Alone in a Crowd of Support?
Why do hardships make us feel so isolated? I think back to my journey with cancer, a time when kindness and support poured into my life. Still, there were moments when I felt completely alone. Why? Because no matter how much support we have, pain is individual. We are the ones who must walk through it; no one can do it for us. It is our body strapped to the table for radiation as we hold perfectly still and the machine hums ominously. It is our veins that receive the sting of chemotherapy and our strength that drains away as we struggle to stand, sick and exhausted. Yet just as God was beside me in those moments, He can be with you in places no one else can reach.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 ESV
The Comfort of “When”
When I recently read Isaiah 43:2, the word “when” leapt off the page. I realized that God chose this word to acknowledge that we will go through trials. Our trials do not surprise Him, and He promises to remain with us as we pass through them. We may travel through oceans of tears and trauma, but they will not drown us. We may walk through the fire of chemotherapy, radiation, and the many difficulties a diagnosis reveals, but we will not be consumed. “When” is the operative word. We will go through trials, but they do not have to overcome us. We can take comfort in knowing that God has already promised to walk with us through every challenge ahead. With God beside us on the journey, we are never truly alone.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
He Will Never Leave
Deuteronomy 31:6 gives us a promise of hope. God promises never to leave or forsake us, and that assurance gives us strength when we face trials. He will not leave us to fend for ourselves. We can be strong and courageous—even when facing cancer—because we know that God walks with us. We may not always feel or see Him in the moment, but when we look back, we can often recognize the ways He was present all along. He is faithful.
