God’s Presence in the Valley Doesn’t Depend on Our Feelings

Editor’s note – Chronic pain and unanswered prayers for healing can make faithful believers feel like failures for simply having a hard day. The author writes from inside an ongoing health struggle, and what she offers isn’t a formula for feeling better – it’s proof that God’s nearness doesn’t rise and fall with her emotions. Valley days are real, and Scripture never promises we’ll skip them, only that we won’t walk through them alone.

I’m currently dealing with a health issue that I’ve been praying for healing from. I’m doing what I need to do medically, and I’m continuing to believe God for healing, but the issue is still there.

Yesterday was a bad day.

I was dealing with a flare-up, and I’ll admit that it affected me emotionally too. I felt discouraged and a little depressed about the situation, and eventually I needed to vent to my husband about how I was feeling.

I’m thankful that he’s patient with me and willing to listen. I didn’t necessarily need him to fix anything; I just needed to say out loud what I was feeling to someone I trust.

It wasn’t my best day. But God was still there.

God Is With Me in the Valley Too

I think we can put pressure on ourselves as Christians to feel like we always need to have the perfect response when we’re going through something difficult.

• We know the Scriptures.
• We know we’re supposed to trust God.
• We know He is faithful.

But knowing those things doesn’t mean we stop being human. Some days something hurts, we’re tired of dealing with a situation, or we’re simply discouraged because we’ve been praying about something and are still waiting for an answer.

Yesterday was one of those days for me.

I didn’t stop believing in God. I didn’t stop believing He could heal me. I was just having a difficult day while I was still believing. And I’m learning that I can be honest about both.

Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

I’ve always loved the fact that the verse doesn’t say we’ll never walk through a valley. It says God is with us when we do.

There are mountaintop days when it’s easy to praise God because everything seems to be falling into place. Then there are valley days when we have to remind ourselves of what we already know to be true.

God hasn’t changed.

His presence hasn’t disappeared. And He isn’t impatient with me because I’m struggling.

Editor’s note – Psalm 23 is often read as though it promises an easy path, but David wrote it as a hunted fugitive. The comfort was never an escape from the valley – it was God’s presence walking through it with him.

Yesterday, I Needed More Time With God

One thing I knew yesterday was that I needed to pray.

I pray every day anyway, but yesterday I intentionally took more time than usual. I needed to stay in communion with God instead of letting myself sit in discouragement and keep replaying how frustrated I was with the situation.

I didn’t try to pretend I wasn’t upset. God already knew.

I could tell Him I was frustrated. I could tell Him I was tired of dealing with it. I could continue asking Him for healing while also thanking Him for being with me right where I was.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

It’s comforting to know we don’t have to clean up our emotions before coming into God’s presence.

• We can come to Him on the good days.
• We can come to Him on the bad days.
• We can come when we’re full of faith and expectation, and we can come when we’re struggling to get our thoughts back where they need to be.

I’m thankful for that kind of relationship with God.

Editor’s note – Nowhere in Scripture are believers told to clean up their prayers before God will hear them. The Psalms are full of complaint and exhaustion offered straight into His presence, and He never turns that honesty away.

Today Is a New Day

I woke up today feeling better than I did yesterday.

The situation hasn’t completely disappeared, and I’m still working on keeping my mindset in the right place. I’m still doing what I need to do medically, and I’m still praying and believing in God for healing.

But today is a new day. Yesterday reminded me again why staying in constant communion with God matters so much.

I don’t want prayer to become something I turn to only when life becomes difficult. I want to stay connected to God when things are going well too, because my relationship with Him isn’t supposed to depend on my circumstances.

He’s God on the mountaintop. He’s God in the valley. He’s God when I receive the answer I’ve been praying for, and He’s still God while I’m waiting. That’s what I’m holding onto.

If you’re having a bad day today, I don’t want to give you a cliché and tell you to simply cheer up or think positively. Some situations are genuinely difficult, and some days we feel their weight more than others.

But I will encourage you to keep turning toward God. Tell Him what you’re feeling. Stay in His Word. Keep praying.

Let people you trust come alongside you when you need someone to listen. And remember that a bad day doesn’t mean you’ve lost your faith. Yesterday wasn’t my best day, but God’s grace was still there.

His patience was still there. His peace was still available to me. And most importantly, He was still there.

What helps you get through the bad days while keeping your focus on God?

A Word from the Editor
Yesterday’s bad day and today’s better one both belong to the same faithful God. Paul learned contentment not because his circumstances changed but because his peace never depended on them. If you’re in a valley today, keep praying, keep speaking honestly, and let people who love you carry some of the weight. He was there yesterday, and He’s here now.

Editor Comment: Your honest reflection on praying through unhealed pain rather than around it is a timely reminder that faith doesn't require constant emotional victory to remain real.

This article appeared on Medium and is reprinted with modifications and by permission.