The God Who Sees Our Pain

“GOD NEVER WASTES OUR PAIN when it’s offered to Him,” my daughter Christy encourages hurting women. In the country where Christy’s family ministers, many women are devalued and abused and suffer from great trauma. Christy has the privilege to teach these women the life-changing truth that they are deeply loved by a God who sees them. He never overlooks their challenges or bypasses their pain and suffering.

In Genesis, we read about Sarah’s maid, Hagar, who ran away to the desert when she was treated harshly by her mistress. The angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar as she was alone and despairing in the wilderness and assured her that it was safe to return. As a servant, Hagar was not considered important and was sometimes treated poorly, but God valued her enough to communicate with her directly. He saw Hagar’s pain, and He promised to give her a son and multiply her descendants so that they would be too many to count.

The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son; and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has given heed to your affliction.”

Hagar understood that God cared about her pain, and she called on the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “a God who sees” (Genesis 16:13).

No matter where we live or who we are, God sees us, and He knows about our pain. He comprehends the unexplainable anguish that invades our lives like an intruder bent on stealing valuables—our self-esteem, purity, health, hope, future, and more.

Pain comes in various forms: Physical pain as we fight cancer. Emotional pain as we experience a severed relationship. Financial pain when our position is terminated and bills stack up. Spiritual pain when we question God’s love because life is so hard.

Pain zaps our energy and often leads to bitterness and despair. Like a wicked taskmaster, it can enslave us. But God sees us, and He cares. He doesn’t waste the pain in our lives. Perhaps our pain will draw us close to Him, keep us from harm, or enable us to encourage others who are suffering. We may not know God’s plan until heaven, but we can be assured, as Hagar was, that He sees us.

Psalm 139 encourages us that God sees us every moment of our lives. From the time He formed us in our mother’s womb until we see Him face-to-face, we are never out of His sight. There is no place to flee from His presence. God sees us in the dark because it is as bright as the day to Him. He sees us when we wander. He sees every thought, word, and action. He knows our motives and our deepest desires. He is all around us, in front of us, and behind us. His hand is on us. He leads us. He holds us. He searches us and He knows us.

This psalm was especially meaningful to me when we lived on a faraway island and I was pregnant with our youngest child. I had no medical care, because the only doctor available believed my child was not viable. But I knew that God saw me, and He saw my pain. And I offered it to Him. I couldn’t see Him, but I sensed His presence in ways I cannot express in words. God sees you too! You may feel as if you are invisible, that no one really sees you or comprehends your pain and despair. When you begin to doubt that God sees you, turn again to Psalm 139 and meditate on the verses that mean the most to you. Our God sees us, knows everything about us, and loves us perfectly!

REFLECTION

How can we navigate the rough seas of pain, loss, rejection, misunderstanding, or heartbreak? Read Genesis 16. Note God’s compassion for Hagar and her response: “You are a God who sees” (verse 13). God sees you and me. He knows us completely, and He has compassion for our pain, even when it’s self-inflicted. Offer your pain to Him, knowing that He can use it for good in your life. We can trust the God who sees us.