“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Over the last month or so, I have noticed many people asking (whether in personal conversations or in social media posts) about the state of people’s faith. Some are wondering if they are the only ones who are just having the hardest time finding joy amidst the current state of the world, and others are feeling like they’ve never felt the Lord so near. It reminded me of a really hard season I went through when I was in college; something about being at a Bible College really emphasized the times in my life when I had doubts in my faith or felt distant from God. I would get so wrapped up in my Bible classes, my chapel and church attendance, and all the other things that my schedule was full of that I often lost sight of God in the middle of my messes. During this time, God spoke to me in a really profound way and it actually inspired the meaning behind one of my tattoos, which is what I want to share with you today as an encouragement.
Photo by Katie Newton
I once had this extremely spiritual moment with God when I stared at the beauty of a full moon. Its radiance was captivating, the detail was breathtaking, and I couldn’t believe I had so often overlooked this wonderful creation. It was in that moment that I saw God as Creator and the Author of Life. Other days (or months, seasons) it is difficult to see God as that same big God who reigns over all the world, or as a God who is capable of owning the entire universe and still wants to know me. But that’s when these phases come in; similarly, it’s not always the full moon that I see. Somedays the moon appears as just a small crescent in the night sky, and other days the fog overtakes the sky and I don’t even know which direction to look for the moon! Even still, I know and trust that the full moon is there in its entirety.
God is big enough and works in ways that are beyond my comprehension, and this serves as a reminder to trust that when I only see and experience God as a “crescent” in my life, the nature of his fullness is still there. Whether God feels near or distant to you in this trying season, I hope you can trust that he has never left your side!
-Katie Newton
Worship Leader at Friends Community Church