When We Forget Who God Is
There’s something deeply comforting about being known. We long to be seen, understood, and loved. Scripture tells us that the God who knows us fully is also the only true God—the God who made heaven and earth, who revealed Himself in Christ, and who testifies by His Spirit to the depths of our hearts.
And yet, if we are honest, when hardships come, we often live as though we’ve forgotten Him. It’s a kind of spiritual amnesia. We know God is sovereign, but pain makes us doubt. We know His love is steadfast, but disappointment makes us question it. In moments like these, we are tempted to trade the God of Scripture for a smaller, safer version of our own making, one who seems easier to understand and less mysterious.
But the Bible will not let us shrink God down.
Almost all of our spiritual struggles stem from wanting a God we can control. A God who acts predictably. A God who feels more like us. But such a “god” cannot carry us through suffering or give us hope that lasts. The God of the Bible is not just bigger than we imagine. He is infinitely beyond our imagination. Paradoxically, only a God like that is strong enough to sustain us in the darkest valleys.
The God Who Holds All Things
Acts 17:24–28 paints a breathtaking picture:
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In Him we live and move and have our being.’”
This is the God we are called to know. Not a slightly stronger version of ourselves, but the Lord of heaven and earth. He does not need us. We need Him. He gives life and breath to all. And yet He is not far from us. He is near. Present. Knowable.
Paul echoes this truth in Philippians 3:7–10, declaring that the surpassing worth of knowing Christ far outweighs every earthly loss. To know Him—even in His sufferings—is life itself.
So, the question comes: if Scripture reveals this God to us, is He truly Lord of your life? Are there places you are still holding back, areas you have not surrendered to Him?
The God Who Speaks
We forget who God is when we stop listening to His Word. That’s why Scripture emphasizes again and again that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3–4). His Word equips us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:14–17). When discouragement clouds our vision, the Bible redirects our hearts to truth.
Do you have passages you run to in times of hardship? Jeremiah 23:23–24, Psalm 139, Isaiah 55:8–9, and Philippians 4:8 all remind us to lift our thoughts from our limited perspective and anchor them in God’s unchanging character. Choosing to think biblically is not denial of reality; it is the way faith sees reality rightly.
The God Without Limits
Perhaps the clearest cure for our spiritual amnesia is to dwell on God’s infinitude. Paul bursts into praise in Romans 11:33–36:
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! … For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”
God’s mercy has no bottom. His grace cannot be exhausted. His love is endless. Our strength fails; His never does. Our wisdom falters; His is beyond searching. Our love grows weary; His is eternal. This means we can trust Him absolutely, even when life makes no sense.
And the wonder of it all is this: the God who stretched out the galaxies and calls the stars by name is also the God who calls you by name. He knows every hair on your head. He is both greater than you can fathom and nearer than your very breath.
The God Who Is Good
Finally, we must not forget that His greatness is joined to His goodness. Psalm 34:8 invites us: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Even in suffering, His character does not change. He is always faithful. Always kind. Always working for the good of those who love Him.
Holding On to What Is True
So how do we fight spiritual amnesia? By remembering who God really is. He is infinite, near, immense, and good. He is the God who made us, knows us, redeems us, and walks with us.
Take a moment today to thank Him for being greater than you could ever imagine, yet closer than your very breath. Let His character be the steady ground beneath your feet.
And when discouragement knocks at your door, answer it with this truth: the God of the Bible is not small. He is not controllable. He is not like us. And that is very good news—for only a God like that can carry us through.
So today, let us marvel at the God who holds it all together—our lives, our world, and our hearts. May we give thanks not just for what He does, but for who He is: infinite in wisdom, steadfast in love, present in every moment, and always good. May this truth steady us in trials, inspire our worship, and draw us ever closer to Him, trusting that the One who holds all things also holds us.
Debbie Swindell 