You have probably heard that “there are no atheists in foxholes.” Most of us can remember a circumstance when we prayed with passion and desperation. “Foxhole prayers” are important, and we can know that God hears every heartfelt word we utter. We can also know that God’s answers are not always what we wanted or asked him to give.

Often in a crisis time, we look for verses from the Bible that will provide the answers we need. God gave us his word for a reason. He knew we would need to reach for his voice and hear it as we read.

The author of Chronicles had a different solution. People didn’t have Bibles sitting on a shelf in their homes or accessible through technology. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was present but didn’t indwell a believer’s life. In 1 Chronicles 16:11, we are instructed to “seek the Lᴏʀᴅ and his strength; seek his presence continually.”

The Hebrew word for seek meant to search for something of value or importance. Think of how you would look for a treasured object like a lost wedding ring or an important key. That is the way we have been told to seek the Lord and his strength. 

Our search for God and his strength is not just because we have a casual appreciation for his companionship. We are taught to seek him because there is no other option or substitution for his presence in our lives. We desperately need God’s direction and power in our lives. 

And we are to seek his presence continually. When the Apostle Paul taught us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16), he was teaching the same truth found in the Old Testament truth of 1 Chronicles. God is faithful to be present in our lives when we seek him. He is our patient, holy Father and will most often wait to show his Presence until he is invited.

If we don’t seek God's presence continually, we cannot yield each moment to his wisdom, and yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. Seek—chase after—the Lord and you will find his presence and his strength.