There are those times in our lives when the Lord seems distant from us, even absent from us. In trials and in our weakness of faith God seems far removed from us. At such times it is good to remember that the Lord is always near His people and that He never leaves or forsakes them. We only feel that He is absent, but the truth is far otherwise. God had not left Job, Job only felt that He was gone; Job was wrong.

The Lord uses such times to make us work at the relationship we have with Him. Trials are necessary to bring us to spiritual maturity. He causes us to seek Him more earnestly. It is part of making us more mature in the faith. It is like the parent who stands back from the child who is just beginning to walk. The parent stands back, distant, but yet near. The parent will not let the child fall, but yet he wills the child to walk to him. When the Lord appears distant it is that our walk to Him will be better.