I Will be There
I Will Be There
I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you. (Isa. 43:2)
When I saw Karen’s number on the caller ID, I wondered how her daughter Amanda was doing after a trip to the emergency room. “She’s OK,” Karen told me. “The doctor said the cast will come off in a few weeks.”
“That’s good. But you sound kind of down.”
“It just seems like I’m always going through some kind of crisis. Ever since Tim and I got divorced, I’ve had nothing but problems. I constantly struggle with finances, work is stressful, Dakota has been in trouble at school, Amanda has been sick, and now she has a broken arm.” Her voice trailed off; then she continued. “I’m just exhausted trying to keep everything together.”
“I know. I’m sorry you’re going through such a rough stretch right now,” I replied. “I can only imagine how difficult it is to be a single parent. But you’re doing a great job even if you don’t think so.”
“Thanks for the encouragement,” Karen sighed. “It just feels like I’m in motion 24–7. But you remind me that God hasn’t forgotten us.”
I smiled as I remembered the gift certificate for a pedicure, manicure, and a massage I hadn’t used. “You definitely deserve a break, and I know just the thing. You’re gonna love it!”
None of us is able to avoid having problems from time to time. Sometimes we go through periods where it feels like everything is caving in around us, and we wonder how we will survive. But God promised that He will be with us. Take comfort in His Word.