I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. – John 14:18
In the first two years of life, children form emotional bonds with their parents or those who have the foremost responsibility for their well-being. To form a healthy emotional, social, and physical foundation, the feelings of safety, security, and love need to be assured, not threatened. For a while, the child equates security with the parent’s presence, and is often troubled when the parent steps out of sight or has to leave for an extended period of time. This fear, called separation anxiety, usually dissipates as the child realizes the parent’s physical absence does not mean that he or she is not returning.
As Christians, we may sometimes deal with separation anxiety when we do not feel the presence of the Lord or hear Him answer our prayers as soon as we think He should. We feel abandoned and wonder when we will hear His calming voice again.
Parents who cannot always be beside their children do not love them any less. The Lord does not love us any less when He allows us to live by faith, and become stronger for the next “growing up” test.
Recently, I had a circumstance that made me feel alone and incapable. But I remembered some previous moments when the Lord had allowed His Word to speak clearly and His presence had accompanied it so vividly. That particular day, I had spent extra time in prayer, hoping for a “visit” from Him. I could feel Him leading, but in someway I felt that I had not received what I needed. In my devotion time that night, I turned the pages of my Bible over one more time and the Lord “lit up the text” for me. It was as if He had been eagerly waiting to shower me with His assurance. This comforting passage not only warmed my heart, but it was as if the Lord said, “Because I can’t be there with you, My Holy Spirit will live with you. He will teach you all that you need to know to do a good job, and He will never leave you.”
At times in our walks with the Lord, it may seem that He is on a long journey or that we are traveling alone. We must hold on. Even when we do not hear Him speak, we know that His Word has not changed, nor His personal interest in our well-being. Our Heavenly Father sent His Holy Spirit to comfort us and assure us of continued companionship.