Sometimes, I don’t feel God’s closeness.

It’s not that God isn’t close to me. Maybe it’s that I’m not paying attention. Maybe I’m taking Him for granted. Maybe I’m so used to living in His presence that I forget to acknowledge why it is that I have peace, comfort, strength, and courage. Maybe I start to live on auto-pilot, or worse yet, try to take control (or credit) for my daily life.

Recently, He reminded me of His closeness, and it was a wonderful…and awful…experience.

The details of the situation aren’t all that important. Basically, something a little upsetting–but not life-altering–happened. Logically, I knew it would be okay…no matter how it worked out. But it didn’t matter what I thought or even how I felt about it. It was the way God gave me peace.

It was as if God had me bundled in a secure, comforting swaddle. Then, in the blink of an eye, I breathed, and He let me have just enough space that I felt His retreat. He was still close, but the short distance between Him and me was chilling. I had more space, yet I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. I was suffocating in space.

It didn’t last long. He wrapped me in His reassurance–not about the situation but about Him. I settled into the conviction that reminded me of His presence. Comforted. Unsettled. Grateful.

You don’t have to understand God’s presence. You don’t have to feel it. But you need to seek and settle into His presence. Let Him define who and where He is. He knows just who and where you are, too.