When you face a problem, it’s easy to get myopic and lose perspective. It’s easy to stand paralyzed in the shadow of the problem. And it’s easy to feel like God has abandoned you, leaving you to face your problem alone. Problems are emotional. They highlight our pain so much that we allow them to hide our God.

Because problems are emotional, it’s important to understand the emotional side of God. God doesn’t stand by as a cold heartless deity with no interest in our problems, trials, and challenges. In His sovereignty, He listens, remembers, sees, and understands.

We see this response in Exodus when the children of Israel were in Egyptian bondage. The Israelites were groaning and crying out for relief from their hard labor. In Exodus 2:24-25 we read God’s response to this overwhelming pain. Notice how deeply God was moved by the Israelites problem:

“God LISTENED to their groanings.

God REMEMBERED his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

God SAW what was going on with Israel.

God UNDERSTOOD.”

Isn’t that what all of us are looking for when we face our own problems? God’s response isn’t restricted to Bible times. He still LISTENS, REMEMBERS, SEES, and UNDERSTANDS. So the next time you stand toe to toe with a problem, don’t forget the posture God has assumed right alongside of you. He’s listening to your cry for help, remembering His promises to you, sees every detail of your problem, and understands what you need in your darkest hour. If that’s how God responds to your problems, run to Him in your pain rather than letting your problems overshadow the emotional side of God.