Why am I here? What is life all about? What is the meaning of life? How we answer these big-picture questions is important so we can live with hope and a sense of purpose in times of uncertainty, pain, and frustration.
What is the meaning of life according to the Bible? According to the Bible, knowing God is the meaning of life because He is the “author of life” (John 17:3). The meaning of life is not based on things we see in the world “for life is more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Luke 12:23).
What does it mean to know God? Why can’t we base the meaning of life on relationships, career, or personal happiness? Understanding the answer to these questions in the Bible gives a sense of purpose and fulfillment in our lives.
What is the meaning to life? Why am I? What is my reason/purpose? A routine question that strikes us at moments of reflection/trial. What is “Life”?
God, as The Author of life, brings meaning to life. Everything God created was meant to show what God is like. God created a world with a purpose, by His design. The world we live in and the life of every person has a purpose and is not just the product of chance, random events, and biological selection.
Just like your parents here on earth, your Heavenly Father wants to hear from you and talk to you. When you pray, He listens. Then He answers your prayers in the form of thoughts, spiritual feelings, scripture, or even the actions of other people.
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Prayer helps you gain an understanding of God’s loving nature
The scriptures teach, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). You can feel that love as you speak daily with Him through prayer, seeking His guidance in your life.
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Prayer provides answers
Praying and listening to the answers God gives you can help you better understand your purpose in life. God will help you understand why you are here and what you can do to return to live with Him after this life.
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Prayer helps you find direction in your life
When you privately pray to God, you can work through serious decisions in your life. God always listens and often provides the specific answers and guidance we seek. Even when He chooses not to answer immediately or in the way we might have hoped, prayer itself is a way to find peace.
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Prayer gives you strength to avoid temptation
Jesus counseled His disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Through prayer, we can overcome temptations to sin. Pray for God’s help to keep you from making wrong choices. This will give you the strength to do what is right.
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Prayer aligns your will with God’s will
The purpose of prayer is not necessarily to tell God how you want Him to do things. Rather, it’s to better understand Him and His ways, bringing yourself into alignment with His will. As C.S. Lewis is often attributed as saying, prayer “doesn’t change God. It changes me.”
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Prayer and regular fasting can help you accept God’s will
Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights before He began His ministry on the earth. As He did this, He communed with His Father in Heaven in prayer. Likewise, if you pray and fast, you can feel closer to God and better understand the things He wants you to do.
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Prayer can work miracles
Throughout the scriptures, we see many examples of the Lord working miracles as an answer to prayer. In Old Testament times, the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lions’ den because he refused to stop praying. When he prayed to God in the lions’ den, angels appeared and closed the mouths of the lions. Through daily prayer, you can also experience personal miracles such as healing, peace, and forgiveness for sins.
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Prayer invites the Holy Spirit into your life
As you pray daily, you invite the Holy Spirit to be with you and to comfort and direct you. The Holy Spirit can give you answers, help you feel God’s love, and bring feelings of peace and joy into your heart.
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Prayer helps you become more like Jesus
Jesus set the perfect example of prayer. If you try to follow His example through prayer, you will become more like Him and develop a better relationship with Him and Heavenly Father.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. Philippians 4:13-15
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
Philippians 4:13-15
The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9:9–10
Jesus raised the widow’s dead son back to life outside the town gate of Nain, as recorded in Luke 7:11-17.
The Miracle at Nain
The Procession: A grieving widow was carrying her only son out of the city for burial, accompanied by a large crowd from the town.
Jesus’s Compassion: Seeing her profound sorrow and vulnerability, Jesus felt deep pity and told her, “Don’t cry!”
The Restoration: Jesus touched the open coffin (or bier) and commanded the young man to arise, whereupon the son sat up and began speaking.
The Return: Jesus handed the living son back to his mother, filling the witnesses with awe and praise to God.
God draws closest to the brokenhearted when circumstances feel entirely dark and beyond human repair.
Biblical Truths and Comfort
Divine Presence: Scripture notes that the Lord is near to those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18) and provides fresh mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Shift in Perspective: Trusting through hard delays means relying on God’s character even when outcomes remain unseen or unclear.
Shared Burdens: Most users on Reddit agree that immersing oneself in Scripture, avoiding isolation, and seeking a supportive faith community help sustain hope during trials.
Practical Steps Forward
Surrender Control: Release fear and personal burdens through honest prayer, pouring out your struggles rather than carrying them alone.
Connect with Others: Reach out to trusted friends, family members, pastors, or professional counselors
If you’re going through a difficult time right now, I want you to know that God loves you. He sees what you’re going through, He is with you, and He desires to help you right where you are.
Psalm 34:18 (NLT) says, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. When we are hurting, God hurts with us.
Maybe you feel like things have gotten too difficult and there’s nothing good left for your future. That is what the enemy wants you to believe, but God has something else to say…
The Lord says, For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you…thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome (Jeremiah 29:11).
Our enemy, Satan, wants to discourage us and make us feel like things will never get better…like there’s no way out. He wants us to believe that we’re all alone. I dealt with depression for years, and there’s a tendency to want to keep it hidden. It’s easy to isolate ourselves and feel like no one else can possibly understand.
The enemy likes it when we keep things hidden in the dark. However, God is Light, and when we discover what He has to say and shine His light into our situation, it brings freedom and hope.
I think it’s common for people to feel embarrassed when it comes to depression or having thoughts of suicide. But the greatest thing we can do in these situations is tell someone else and get it out in the open.
If that’s where you are today, I encourage you to take a step of faith and reach out to a close friend or a trained Christian counselor. Don’t allow the enemy to keep it hidden, but take the opportunity to get things out into the light.
If you are contemplating suicide today, we are here for you. Please reach out at
I’ve learned from experience that keeping things like this to ourselves makes everything seem worse than it really is. But when we get it out into the open, it brings relief, and we allow God to use other people to help us.
The truth is, we all need to talk to someone at different times. We all go through things and need someone to help us get through our difficult seasons in life.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to take a few moments and pray right now:
“Father, I need You now. You say You love me and see exactly where I am…and in spite of how I feel, I choose to believe Your Word. In the face of all I am going through, I look to You for help. I need Your strength to deal with everything that feels too big for me right now. Help me to keep my eyes on You. Please make Yourself real to me…and encourage me for the road ahead. Help me experience Your love and presence in a tangible way. I give all that I am to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
At this moment, you may be facing what seems like an impossible situation. But I want you to know that God can make all things new. He can take your problem and turn it into something good.
The Bible says that God is the “God of hope,” full of mercy and new beginnings (see Romans 15:13). And He wants you to be full of hope—believing, expecting, and anticipating great things from Him.
Hope is the confident expectation that something good is going to happen. It’s closely related to our faith and what we believe. When we dare to hope, it floods our life with joy and peace.
My husband, Dave, and I laugh about it now, but in the early years of our marriage, I was the most negative person I knew. I often joke that if I thought two positive thoughts in a row, my brain would get into a cramp!
I’ll never forget it—we had been married about three weeks when Dave looked at me and asked, “What is wrong with you? You have such a negative attitude.”
And this is how bad it was: I responded with, “Well, if you don’t expect anything good to happen, then you won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t.” Needless to say, I did not have a hopeful attitude!
Today, I can honestly sit here and tell you that God has transformed me from being negative and pessimistic to someone who is full of hope, always expecting His goodness around every corner. Little by little, He helped me discover the power of hope and what that means for my thoughts, words, attitudes and every area of my life.
I want to share what I learned with you. This book contains some of the greatest lessons the Lord has taught me in this area—lessons that truly have the ability to change your life if you apply them.
So, are you stuck in a rut and can’t see a way out? Have you lost your positive vision for the future? Would you like to rediscover joy in your everyday life?
Wherever you find yourself today—regardless of what’s happened or how things may look right now—always remember that God is on your side. He is the God of the impossible…and the One who can make a miracle out of any situation.
Dear God, thank You for this day and for bringing me to a new week. I’m asking for a peace that surpasses all understanding, the kind that changes everything. Your Word in Psalm 46:1-2 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” God, when my thoughts start racing this week, remind me that You are my refuge and my strength. Touch the parts of my life that feel broken or heavy, and give me everything I need to endure whatever this week brings. Your mercies are new every morning, and I trust You in the good moments and the hard ones. I put this week completely into Your hands. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. -Psalm 46:4
Genesis 5:24: “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (or “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” in the King James Version).
Key Bible Verses on Walking with God
Micah 6:8:“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
2 Corinthians 5:7:“For we live by faith, not by sight” (or “For we walk by faith, not by sight”).
Genesis 6:9:“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with faithful God.”
Proverbs 3:5–6:“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”.
Amos 3:3:“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”
What does scripture say about walking with God and running the race of faith? As a walker and runner, I was curious about this, and compiled ten verses to meditate on, and share with you. Next time you are out walking or running, one of these verses might be good to take along with you!
The first time walking or running is mentioned in the Bible is in Genesis 3, when “the LORD God is walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze.” Think of that: God shows us the gift of walking, as a wonderful way to care for our soul as we care for our body. It is a wonderful spiritual discipline modeled by our Creator – to walk in God’s beautiful creation, and to remind ourselves when we do this that we are walking in God’s very Presence.
After God is found walking in Genesis 3, the next time walking or running is mentioned, it is not God doing it, but one of God’s faithful followers, Enoch (Noah’s great-grandfather). In Genesis 5: “When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” Enoch lived a long, blessed life because he “walked with God.” Walking with God from that time on in the Bible becomes a metaphor, not to be taken literally, but suggesting that we are living our life in accordance with God’s teachings, and we are living our life in a real, life-giving relationship with God. Isn’t it interesting that Enoch lived 365 years? 365. A year for every day of the year. We are to walk with God every day.
Two verses use walking to summarize God’s teachings. First, from Deuteronomy 10, when Moses says: “What does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to Love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD your God.”
Next, from the prophet Micah, who says something quite similar: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” That sums it up, doesn’t it? Love God, love others, do justice, and walk in God’s ways.
So much for walking with God. But what about running for God? What are some verses about running? Walking is mentioned in 273 verses, running in only 83, so taken literally I suppose we should walk three times as much as we run. But running is mentioned quite often, and usually to indicate the urgency of walking with God. For example, in Proverbs 18: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.” When we are in trouble, we should run, not walk, to God.
In the New Testament, it is Paul who uses the metaphor of running most often. In 1 Corinthians, he writes: “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.”
And of course, at the end of his life, Paul would write to Timothy: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Whether we walk with God or Run for God, there will come a time when our race is complete. As Ecclesiastes puts it so beautifully: “Under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all.”
So what should we do? How about this, from Hebrews 12: “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”
And what will be the result? One last verse on walking with God and running for God, with an awesome promise in Isaiah: “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
So let’s walk with God, and run our race faithfully. And let’s walk by faith through this world, not by sight, until that blessed day when, having finished our race of faith, we, too, will receive the crown of righteousness from the one who first ran the race for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Of David. Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. …
But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house.
When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. …
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. …
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. …
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. …
Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood …
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. …
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”
Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
Romans 10:9 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 8:38-39 offers an absolute, unshakeable promise that nothing in all creation can ever separate believers from the unbreakable Love of God in Christ Jesus. [1]
Meaning and Explanation
Total Coverage: The apostle Paul lists ten distinct extremes—including death, life, angels, demons, present fears, future worries, cosmic powers, height, and depth.
The Final Catch-All: By adding “nor anything else in all creation,” Paul leaves zero room for exceptions. No force, failure, or circumstance has the power to break God’s hold on His people. [1, 2]
Anchored in Christ: This boundless affection is not earned by human performance; it is anchored securely “in Christ Jesus our Lord”, proven definitively at the cross.
Message of Comfort
Release from Fear: Because God’s love is invincible, believers do not need to fear unstable circumstances, mortality, or unseen spiritual forces.
Security in Pain: Even during deep suffering, grief, or personal weakness, God’s presence remains constant and active.
Rest for the Soul: You do not have to work to keep yourself loved; you are held by a secure bond that outlasts every trial.
In Romans 8:38–39, the apostle Paul articulates one of the most profoundly comforting reassurances in Scripture: “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.”
The psalmist echoes Paul’s conviction that neither death nor life can separate us from God’s love: “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there!” (Psalm 139:7–8, NLT). God is present everywhere. There is no place we can go and be cut off from His presence. The Bible also tells us that God, by His very nature, is love (1 John 4:8, 16). And if God is love and exists everywhere, then it stands to reason that nothing and no place can isolate us from His love.
Paul relates a laundry list of things that could potentially have the power to barricade us from God’s loving presence: life, death, angels, demons, the present, the future, powers, height, depth, and anything else in all creation. With that last item, nothing is left out! And then Paul affirms that none of these things are powerful enough to create a barrier between us and the boundless love of God in Christ. Everything in all the universe, whether in this present life or the life to come, is under God’s sovereign control and the dominion of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (Ephesians 1:22; 1 Corinthians 15:27–28; Hebrews 2:8).
God displayed His great love for us on the cross (Romans 5:8; John 3:16–17). On Calvary, Jesus Christ triumphed over all things, including death and every living enemy, by offering His life in our place (Colossians 2:15). When we receive God’s gift of salvation, we are “buried with Christ” through baptism and “raised to new life” by “the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead” (Colossians 2:12, NLT). Paul continues, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14, NLT).
The redeemed of the Lord are made spiritually and eternally alive in Christ. We died and were buried with Jesus and then raised and restored to newness of life. Not one thing in this life or even in death can ever cause lasting harm to us because Jesus Christ rescinded all charges against us. For this reason, nothing and no one will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ. We belong to the Lord forever (Isaiah 43:1; John 1:12; 10:28; Romans 8:15; 14:8).
We may sometimes feel like our pain, sorrow, and loss distance us from God’s affection. But to this deception, Paul asks, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:35–37, NLT).
When we feel separated from God’s love, the problem is not any lack on His part. The hindrance comes from our perception. When instability and insecurity threaten us, our confidence must rest securely in the knowledge of God’s love for us and not in our own feelings. Human love is often erratic, weak, fluctuating. Doubt, circumstances, and fear can obscure our awareness of the Lord’s presence. We must stand on the sure promise of God’s Word that His love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). It is never-ending (Lamentations 3:22). The Lord’s faithful love endures forever (Psalm 136:7, 13, 21).
God does not promise us a life free of affliction, but He does promise to be with us through anything and everything we face with His all-powerful, steadfast agape love. For believers in Jesus Christ, God’s love is a constant supply poured out by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). His love can be counted on in the calamities of life and leaned upon in the crisis of death.
