Genesis 37:18-28

When Joseph was still a child he lost almost his whole family. His status was that of a chosen son…until his home and freedom were forcefully taken from him.

Just think about how he must have felt in light of his brothers’ hatred and his loss. Yet we see that there was one thing no one could take away from Joseph and that was his faith. Though he most probably did not understand why this suffering had come over him he held on to his faith. Even as a slave in a foreign country he experienced the blessing of God and acknowledged that the Lord was with him (Genesis 39:2).

Romans 8:35; 38-39

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Matthew 28:20

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Sometimes life deals us hard, too. A sudden change in health or our economic situation, the sudden death of someone close to us, or abandonment by a friend can get us into a place of despair. Maybe we don’t understand why the Lord allows our suffering.

Let us remember the words in Psalm 23: Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death….

We need to cling closely to the Lord’s presence with us. In the moment of our salvation the Holy Spirit sealed His presence in us for eternity. He will not separate from us and nothing will separate us from His love.

This is the reason why it is so important to take a few minutes each day to remind ourselves of Yeshua’s promise that He will always be with us. As a result, this truth will reach deeply into our souls and our spirit, to carry us through the hard times!