We’ve somehow developed the expectation that authentic faith should produce consistent emotional highs. We think that if we’re truly walking with God, we should always sense His nearness. We should always feel peace and experience joy. If we love God enough, we won’t have any troubles or pains in this life.
When pain is constant or energy is limited, and medical appointments become routine, we need to remember. God’s language is not human language. God’s present in so many ways in our lives. Some of the most powerful testimonies come not from mountaintop experiences, but from valleys where God’s faithfulness was proven in quiet, steady ways:
• In the skilled hands of medical professionals who provide treatment and relief
• Through the practical support of friends and family during flare-ups
• In the strength to endure another difficult day when we thought we couldn’t
• Through the wisdom gained from walking difficult paths that equips us to help others
• In the peace that surpasses understanding, even when circumstances remain challenging
Honest Faith in Action
The Psalms give us permission to bring our raw emotions to God:
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1)
David’s honesty about feeling forgotten didn’t diminish his faith – it deepened it. He learned to distinguish between his emotional experience and God’s unchanging character.
Sometimes His faithfulness looks like:
Sustaining Grace
The ability to keep going when everything in you wants to quit. You find the grace to face another day of symptoms. You face another medical appointment. Another well-meaning but hurtful comment about your condition arises. This is God’s presence in action.
Unexpected Provision
Resources appear when you need them most whether financial, emotional, or practical. A friend shows up with groceries during a flare-up. An insurance approval that seemed impossible finally comes through. A new treatment option provides relief at last. Remember to give thanks to Him who supplied it through His love and mercy.
Deuteronomy 31:8 Lived Out in Real Time
“He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Not because you felt it every moment, but because His character remains constant regardless of our emotional weather. It’s amazing how our emotions can change so fast. I know personally from epilepsy and faith, every time after a seizure my emotions completely change. Life seems hopeless, I’m drastically more depressed and negative about everything.
Medical Science gave an explanation of my brain is severely fatigued. My neurons had misfired and my brain, including emotions, were trying to ‘rearrange themselves’ back again. Kind of like being naked and rushing to put your clothes on…LOL Well, I can say without a doubt, I am tired of my brain feeling exposed. It needs to keep its clothes on! Sometimes all this leaves me feeling confused or even doubting if I’m good enough for God. If I have seizures, does that mean I don’t have enough faith?
He’s not fickle like I am. He’s constant! Through these changes in my emotions, I have learned that God is there. At the precise moment, I feel all alone. The one thought of something being constant through anything that happens, through any storm, that I’m not alone is indescribable. He promised to walk with me through the trials and never leave me. He didn’t promise that they would never come. He’s always with me, whether I ‘feel’ Him or not. My journey through chronic illness is filled with emotional ups and downs. It is a written testimony of His constancy. I hope this will encourage you for years to come.
Biblical Reality Check
Even the most faithful biblical figures experienced emotional valleys:
• David wrote extensively about feeling abandoned by God. Yet, he declared His faithfulness.
• Job questioned God’s justice. He maintained his trust.
• Elijah felt deep depression. This occurred after his greatest ministry victory.
• Jesus himself cried out “My God, why have you forsaken me?” from the cross
These giants of faith experienced emotional distance from God. Yet they remained in a relationship with Him. Why do we expect our journey to be different?
Some days I sense His nearness powerfully, others, not so much. God’s faithfulness transcends my emotional weather. He’s present in moments of peace and joy but also in my pain and doubt. When feelings lie – and they sometimes do – His character remains my anchor. God’s presence is bigger, deeper, and more reliable than any emotional experience.
God’s commitment to us isn’t based on our performance, our health status, or our ability to sense His presence. It’s rooted in His nature, which cannot change. Illness changed my life trajectory that I had planned, but it hasn’t surprised God or ruined His purposes for me. He’s still writing my story, even when I can’t see the plot.
A Promise to Hold Onto
God’s commitment to us isn’t based on our performance, our health status, or our ability to sense His presence. It’s rooted in His nature, which cannot change.
You’re not alone. Keep fighting!
Have you experienced God’s faithfulness through your own health struggles? Share your story in the comments below – your testimony could be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.