"O Lord, my God, you are no stranger to those who do not estrange themselves from you. How do they say that it is you who absent yourself?" -St. John of the Cross
How often do we mistake God's silence for His absence?
There are seasons when prayer feels empty, when our hearts seem cold, and when God appears far away. Yet St. John of the Cross reminds us that our experience of God's presence is not the measure of His nearness.
Our Lady of Guadalupe offers a similar consolation to St. Juan Diego: "Am I not here, I who am your mother?"
The spiritual life requires us to move beyond what we feel into what we believe. God is present even when we cannot perceive Him. His love does not diminish when our consolation disappears.
Perhaps surrender begins here: trusting that we are held even when we cannot feel the embrace.
Practice: Throughout the day, pause and quietly say, "Lord, You are here, and I am Yours."
Prayer: Lord, teach me to trust Your presence more than my feelings. Let me rest in the certainty of Your love. Amen.
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