There are times along this Christian pathway that I wonder if I’m doing it alone. Is God really with me? I know I’m not alone in this belief (this fear) that God has left us to do life by ourselves because so many people have had to remind themselves–and others–that God is with us wherever we go.
Even more importantly, God Himself has reminded us that He’s always with us. One of His names is Immanuel which simply means God with us.
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us) (Matthew 1:23 ESV).
When life gets hard…when the devil whispers nonsense in your ears…here are some reminders that God is with you.
What Does God Is With Us Mean?
Table of Contents
When we say (or hear) God is with us, it simply means we’re not doing on our own. It may feel like it, especially if you’re not a Christian or your faith is in a low state. But it means that even though you don’t feel Him or see Him, God is experiencing everything you are.
He sympathizes with your struggles and is there to help you if you’re willing to let go of doing your own thing and let Him. (And yes, I know how hard that is ?.)
The poem Footprints in the Sand probably explains this better than I could. The author dreamt that she was walking along the beach with God. As she was looking back at the footprints in the sand, she noticed that when things got hard, there was only one set of prints. She was confused. Why had God abandoned her in her darkest moments?
When she asked, his response was that during those times He was carrying her. When we say God is with us, it’s a lot like that. God comes alongside us and will be an intimate friend or beloved Comforter…if we’ll let Him.
What Does the Bible Say About God Being With Us?
Not only does God call Himself Emmanuel, but He also reminded us through His Word that He would never leave us.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 ESV).
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. I love how God shows up when Joshua was probably wondering what he was going to do now that his beloved leader was dead. Joshua knew he was now in charge but maybe he wondered how he would lead the people (especially after seeing how they had dealt with Moses over the years). Like Joshua, you may not feel up to the task that lies ahead but God is with you.
“Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 ESV).
As believers, we take these final words from Jesus seriously. This is our Great Commission–it’s what we’ve been called to do. And even in this, God has not left us alone. We have the assurances of Jesus that He will be with us and He has never broken His word.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV).
I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of God’s “righteous right hand”. It just seems to me as if His right hand has more might than His left and since He’s God that’s a whole lot of power!
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17 ESV).
The best thing about God being with us is that He’s not just an external Being walking beside us, He lives in us! How cool is that?
Whenever the enemy tries to convince you that God has abandoned you or that you’re going through your troubles alone, remind him that you know Emmanuel because the Holy Spirit lives in you.
5 Reminders God Is With Us
Does God know us by name? Does God speak through us? Does He care enough to walk with us through the hard times? These are just some of the questions that you’ve asked (or will ask) as you strive to live your life as a believer. Asking these questions doesn’t make you a bad person, it doesn’t mean you don’t believe in God. Even John questioned if Jesus was the Messiah after he had vehemently defended Him as the Son of God.
No, asking these questions is an opportunity to ask God to open your eyes so you can see Him working in your life. While you’re praying about that, here are a few ways you can trust that God is with you.
-
Nature
Nature is God’s handiwork. Every sunrise and sunset are reminders that God is with His creation. He has not left us alone. He sends rain when we need it, causes the plants to grow, keeps our solar system in orbit. Really, we depend on Him for the very existence. God destroyed the earth and ost lifeforms once and afterward, He had these words to say:
“While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22 NKJV).
He has kept His promise. We can accept nature as proof that God is with us.
2. Through friends and godly mentors
Have you ever been in a situation where you had someone come alongside you as you were struggling with something? Do you have someone you can turn to for wisdom and advice? These people are also a reminder that God is with you. He knew there would be times when you would need a hug or an encouraging word.
The next time you see someone going through something and you can help, take a moment to do so as you may be the person God’s using to remind them they are not alone.
3. The events of our lives
Okay, so we’ve all had bad things happen to us and it’s really easy to think God has abandoned us. But these things that happen to us are an opportunity to draw closer to God. He wants us to put Him above everything. When we do, we’ll learn that God can use even bad things for His glory.
4. The events around us
When disasters happen, or people do evil things to each other, the great outcry is “where is God?” We forget that God gives us freedom of choice that, unfortunately, some people abuse. In the midst of this global crisis, a lot of people wonder how a good God can allow this thing to happen, but what we need to remember is that Jesus will return one day. But before He does, disasters will happen.
There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven (Luke 21:11 ESV).
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short (Matthew 24:21-22 ESV).
The truth is, none of us really knows how the signs mentioned in the Bible will play out in our time but we can know that when we see dramatic things happen in history, they are signs that Jesus is on His way.
5. Through His Word
The most powerful reminder that God is still with us is found in His Word. As we study the Bible, we draw closer to God and He makes His home in our hearts. When we are afraid or are facing a spiritual battle, the words we have read and studied rise up in our hearts as a shield. We are reminded that God has not left us alone. He is right there with us.
He speaks to us through His Word reminding us that He loves us and will not leave us as orphans. As I read To Love A Prince, I was reminded of Immanuel. There are opportunities to see that God is with us if we’d only open our eyes.
About Love A Prince
Book: To Love a Prince
Author: Rachel Hauck
Genre: Royal Romance
Publication Date: August 11, 2020
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Hauck House
Daffodil Caron is not a princess, even though she once dreamed of being one. After all, she grew up as a playmate to royal princes, running through the halls of Perrigwynn Palace in the North Sea’s Lauchtenland. But the day she stumbled upon a royal secret, everything changed.
Flash forward eighteen years, and Daffy’s living a sweet, non-royal life. A skilled art curator for the Royal Trust, she has friends, a flat in the heart of the capital city, and a handsome, successful boyfriend. The last person on her mind is Gus, the prince she once called her best mate.
HRH Prince Augustus is no longer “Prince Pudgy,” as caricatured by the press—he’s charming and gorgeous, possessing a world-famous smile. But after he’s jilted at the altar, then dumped by his second fianceé, the spare heir to Lauchtenland’s ancient House of Blue finds solace on a Florida beach.
A year as a regular bloke allows him to rethink his purpose. He’s half decided his calling is to pour pints at a tiki bar rather than serve his country and the Family.
But a wild Frisbee toss down the beach changes his destiny.
Despite his long hair and beard, Daffy recognizes her prince. She reminds Gus of his heritage and assures him that he’s needed in Lauchtenland.
When Daffy and Gus find themselves on assignment at Hadsby Castle in preparation for his brother’s wedding ball, their friendship blooms into affection.
Then secrets are exposed, and Gus must choose between his past hurts and his future hope. And Daffy must trust her heart to forever love a prince.
My Review of To Love A Prince
Okay, I loved this book. First of all, I’m a sucker for stories with royalty especially when the prince falls for the “ordinary” girl. Secondly, the characters and the storyline were awesome. So, I found the names kinda silly but I got the point…it had to work with the nickname (I won’t say another word, you’ll have to read the book to find out?).
I had one issue with this story: Daffy was a bit too forgiving. Her “friends” treated her like garbage and she kept going back to them. I wish she had gotten to the point where she had either demanded that they respect her or distanced herself permanently from them.
Know God–I love the theme of this story. When the story started, neither Daffy nor Gus were in a personal relationship with God but then Emmanuel showed up. We are reminded that Christ is with us in our need. He walks with us through our difficulties and is always willing to lend a hand.
Know yourself–Both Gus and Daffy struggled with their identities. Gus has to figure out who he was outside of his failed relationships while Daffy had to understand that she was worthy of being loved.
Run your race–As much as Prince Gus had obligations to the crown, at some point he had to decide to do what was best for himself. He had to choose to allow himself to love again in spite of his past and the ramifications. Daffy had to choose to love her prince and deal with all the things that came with that.
The Characters in To Love A Prince
Gus was such a great male lead. He was desperate to fall in love but kept choosing the wrong woman. It got to the point where he began to think he was the problem. And it was understandable, what person who has been rejected more than once who doesn’t begin to believe the lie that they are unlovable? But what I liked about Gus was that he finally got to a place where he decided not to stop living his life because of the naysayers (and incredible scrutiny of the press).
Daffy was the perfect foil for Gus. She reminded him of his worth and made him realize that not everyone saw him as a loser. People need that. We need someone to believe in us when we can’t believe in ourselves. I have to say though that Daffy had a very bad taste in friends. At one point I was rooting for her to divorce her friends and excommunicate her sister who needed to learn a thing or two about loyalty (but, enough said, lest I reveal a spoiler).
That being said, To Love A Prince highlighted the importance of choosing your friends wisely. The people we surround ourselves with say a lot about our character and influence the things that happen to us.
The Themes in To Love A Prince
There was a strong theme of forgiveness in To Love A Prince as both Daffy and Gus struggled to forgive those who had hurt them. As I said before, some of Daffy’s friends were horrible yet she chose to forgive them. She highlighted how God forgives us of the icky, disgusting things we do and still continue to love us. Yet, I have a lingering wish that Daffy had learned to distance herself from people who routinely took advantage of her.
There was also the theme of Emmanuel–God with us. I loved the way the presence of God was portrayed in the book. It was a reminder that God is always with us in times of need or trouble. All we have to do is call on Him. There was also the hint that our friends can stand in the gap for us by calling on God for us.
To Love A Prince is a great read if you love stories about royalty and fairytale endings. I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publishers through Celebrate Lit; a positive review was not required. Get your copy of To Love A Prince.
About Rachel Hauck
Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She is a Christy Award Winner and a double RITA finalist. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Club. She is also the recipient of RT’s Career Achievement Award. Her book, Once Upon A Prince, was filmed for an original Hallmark movie.
The Wedding Dress, The Wedding Shop, and A March Bride have all been optioned for film. A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, and a former sorority girl, Rachel and her husband live in central Florida. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan. Visit her at www.rachelhauck.com or www.facebook.com/rachelhauck
More from Rachel
Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!
I’m thrilled to share To Love A Prince with you. So many of you who loved the Royal Wedding 
Series have asked for more royals so as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward princes and princesses. What’s more romantic than a royal wedding?
This royal story, the first book in a new series, True Blue Royal, is set in a new fictional country, Lauchtenland, in the North Sea. I’m really squeezing all those oil wells currently occupying that body of water.
The beauty of royal stories is they remind us of who we really are: princes and princesses. There is always a point in the story where the royal character, as well as the commoner, must come to grips with his and her true identity! Who God says we are!
Stories are a powerful reflection of life and it’s fun to insert ourselves into the tale. While fiction employs a lot of hyperbole we can find ourselves on the page somewhere, somehow.
Thanks for going on this little tour with me and To Love A Prince. You are so vital to my story as an author. Thank you!
Yours,
Rachel
You may also like: