A song by Matthew West has been striking some chords in my life—There are some phrases that hit home for me, one of them being: You’re the God who stays. You’re the God who walks in my direction when the whole world walks away. .Wow!! That is powerful!! Can you ‘see’ this God?

When I was a teenager, my first love broke up with me to date another girl.   I wondered if I could ever trust someone with my heart again.   A year later, I was reading this verse from Hebrews 13:5, which said:….”I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you.”   In Greek it is written in the triple negative, so what it actually says is:” I will never, never, never desert you nor will I ever forsake you.”    I realized then that God– was the God who stays.  I also realized that no one else could promise me that they would never leave—because even if they stayed til death did us part, death would part us.  With God—that is not the case.

Another verse in this song that jumped out to me is:

I used to hide Every time I thought I let You down

I always thought I had to earn my way, but I’m learning You don’t work that way.

Somehow You don’t see me like I do,

 Somehow You’re still here.

You’re the God who stays!

I used to think that I had to “do” things to earn God’s love.  What an amazing thing to discover the depth and riches of God’s love, a love from which nothing can separate me and nothing can separate you.

Sometimes, this is ridiculously hard to believe.  The video shows a young mom dealing with a drug addiction.  When we are struggling with addictions and brokenness—there is such a feeling of shame—of unworthiness—and that is when it is really difficult to hear and see the truth of God’s love. Yet ironically, it is in accepting that love and strength from God that those addictions can be overcome, and healing can take place in the brokenness. 

I think the lie is that no one else struggles with hard things, when in reality, most of us struggle with hard things.  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man….”  In other words, we are all tempted, and we are all tempted by many of the same things…but the rest of the verse states…”but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the means of escape.”  1 Corinthians 10:13   God is faithful.  God is faithful.   He is the God who stays.  He is the One who runs in our direction when the whole world walks away. 

I hope this song ministers to you, as it has to me, and that you will be Encouraged!!