God doesn't stand far away when you and I go through pain. This is important to know. He meets you in the valley of the shadow of death to reveal that death is nothing but a shadow. He's not far off. I preach a message of union, no distance, no separation between us and God. And this goes for suffering as well. He's right there. And He's not simply observing. He suffers with us. Can I tell you this? We have a God who weeps with us, suffers with us, holds us in the middle of it. Pain is not a sign of God's absence. You can find yourself aware, perhaps more than ever, of the intimacy of the presence of the Lord. Psalm 34, verse 18. David wrote this so beautifully when he said, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." You're never alone in your pain.