Finding Jesus in the Struggle with Anne Wilson
In Moments of Stillness
Anne Wilson shared with Family Life Radio how she’d walked through a hard season in her life recently. “Sometimes it feels like [the Lord] is not there, and you’re like, Oh where is He? Is He in this storm with me? Is He in this trial with me? but I always find that He is there because that’s His Word says: He’s always with us. He’s never going to leave or forsake us.”
Walking through a hard season can leave you feeling like God is not there. It can feel like He is silent or distant. Yet, God’s Word assures us that He is always with us, even when it feels like He is not. In these moments, it is essential to turn to God and seek His guidance and comfort.
Anne continued, “Sometimes [the Lord’s] very quiet and very still. He’s not right up in your face; He’s not yelling at you, trying to tell you to do something. I believe that the Lord sometimes will just kind of sit in stillness – not complete silence – but kind of in a sense of He’s letting you decide what you want to do. He’s letting you walk this whole thing out.”
This stillness can be beneficial because it allows you to reflect. Anne said “For me, those times have been the most beneficial because I’ll realize I’m not leaning on the Lord as much as I should be. I’m leaning on other people or other things instead of Him.”
Such a lull can give you an opportunity to embrace learning experiences during hard seasons and grow closer to God. In Psalm 46:10, God commands us to “Be still, and know that I am God” (NLT). When we take the time to be still and listen to God’s still small voice, we can hear His guidance and find comfort in His presence. His word assures us that He is always with us (Deuteronomy 31:6). Even in our darkest moments, we can trust that God is working all things for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).
God’s stillness does not equate to His absence.
It merely means that He is waiting for us to come to Him, to seek Him and to listen for His voice. In Isaiah 30:15, it says, “In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength” (ESV). Our strength comes from resting in God’s promises, being still and trusting in Him during hard seasons.
Anne said, “If I’m walking through like a really hard season, I find if I just sit down, stop what I’m doing, and I listen for His still small voice, that’s when I find it.”
As you trust in God’s promises, you can navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity and peace. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths” (ESV). By acknowledging Him and seeking His will, you can trust that He will show you which path to take.
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