My friend just lost his iPhone, again. I won’t mention any names, but he’s tall and it’s Graeme.
After searching the space we were in, then his car, he got out his MacBook and used the “find my iPhone” feature. Sure enough, it was back at the place he’d eaten at an hour earlier. Modern technology can be a beautiful thing. I wish the search for the rest of life’s missing pieces were that easy.
“Find the intimacy in my marriage.”
“Find the right words for my struggling child.”
“Find my hope.”
“Find my connection to God.”
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Did you know that God promises to be found when we look? The problem is, what the heck does “all my heart” mean? How do I know if this is all, most, or a small fraction of my heart?
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)
This promise helps bring clarity. God promises closeness when we’re hurting. It’s still a little mysterious, because God is everywhere all the time. But there’s something about being desperate in our need, in our pain, that God’s nearness becomes more obvious—more accessible… more tangible.
I still don’t know what “all your heart” means. But I know when my heart is broken, and when other things I’ve depended on have let me down—God feels closer. He feels more “found” when other things I’ve given space in my heart are now “lost.”
If you’re experiencing loss, pain, struggle… the upside is that the ever-present God just scooted in a little bit closer.