Long before God formed you in the womb, He had you in His heart and mind. He chose to adopt you into His family through Jesus Christ and make you the focus of His eternal love. God chose us. As we read in John 15:16:
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
John 15:16 (NIV)
A common question that arises is, if God knows us so deeply, why does He sometimes feel distant? Why does it seem like God can’t relate to us, leaving us to wonder if He truly understands what we’re going through?
You might say, “SIN.” And yes, technically, every limitation and flaw we experience can be traced back to sin and the way it has estranged us from God, who is holy and cannot dwell in the presence of sin. But even in the midst of our repentance, after we have trusted in Jesus as our only Lord and Saviour, and we are actively in pursuit of God, there are times when it feels like God is far away. Circumstances arise that leave us feeling alone, as if no one truly understands our struggles, even God. For someone to truly say they know me, they need to relate to me—they need to understand my thoughts and feelings. They may have walked through similar experiences, spent time with me, and gotten to know me deeply. So, when God says He knows us, this must also be true for Him.
The fact is, God does truly knows us. He is our Creator, and He watches over us. As Psalm 139:1-4 says:
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.”
Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)
In Hebrews 4:15, the Scripture reassures us that our Advocate, Jesus, can be trusted to understand what we are going through. He endured the worst and was victorious, so He is more than capable of helping us and relating to us in our circumstances.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)
I believe that often, we don’t allow God to demonstrate His love for us in ways that show how much He truly knows us. We let the limitations of this world and our circumstances cloud our judgment of God. This prevents us from recognising His presence with us and experiencing the closeness of His love. If we let go of these limitations, we would witness how intimately He knows us.
Why is this truth important to know? I think God wants us to know He understands us so we can turn to Him for answers. Like a wise coach, He knows our strengths and weaknesses and can guide us. There will be times in life when God understands us better than we understand ourselves. Only God can provide the counsel we need. Trusting Him, even when life doesn’t make sense, is made easier when we remember that He knows us completely. This reassurance strengthens our faith.
I also believe that God wants us to know He knows us to deepen our intimacy with Him. There’s no shame when someone truly knows you. With God, there is no need for pretense. We can be completely ourselves, growing in the intimacy that He desires for us.
Closing Prayer
Thank you, Lord, that You know me. Help me trust You more and yield myself to You, so You can show me the depth of Your love and understanding. You know me better than I know myself, and that is worthy of all praise. In all circumstances thank you for reassuring me that you know me and you are with me and I can turn to you for counsel. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Signing off
Faith With Petra 