Ever feel like God has forgotten you?

The closest I’ve ever felt to that was in 2015, after my first marriage collapsed.

It hit hardest on the weekends—especially when my daughters were with their mom. During the week, life was loud and busy: school, daycare, evening routines. There was always something to do.

But on those weekends, the silence was deafening.

I’d look out the window and see other families laughing, kids playing, couples taking walks. And there I was—alone—feeling overlooked, maybe even forgotten.

Looking back now, I can see God was working on me deeply in those moments. At the time, it felt like He was absent. But He wasn’t. He was preparing me.

If you’re in a season where God feels distant—or nonexistent—I hope this reflection encourages you.

In the valleys of life, God gives us time for preparation. On the mountaintops, He gives us perspective. And it’s that preparation and perspective that changes everything.

Those weekends hurt more than I care to admit. There were plenty of tears. But God was shaping my heart to receive one of the greatest blessings of my life—meeting my wife. Had I not walked through those dark valleys, I would have missed what He was preparing me for.

Lamentations 3:31–32 says:
“For the Lord will not reject forever. For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.”

The grief I carried was real—but it wasn’t a life sentence.

Now, you might be thinking, “Easy for you to say—you got a happy ending.”
And in that chapter of my life, yes—I did.

But on May 13, 2020, there was no happy ending.

That was the day we lost our daughter, Faith Mae. The pain that followed can’t be captured in words. What I can say—without hesitation—is that the grief we endured reshaped our hearts.

Things that once frustrated or annoyed me suddenly felt small and insignificant. I love my family more deeply today because of the grief we walked through. God’s compassion and His abundant lovingkindness were not stopped—even there.

I share these stories to offer you hope.

The pain you’re carrying is real. Some days, giving up feels easier than pressing on. But it’s in those moments that we must lean into God’s Word and cling to His promises.

He will not reject you forever.
And the grief you’re walking through—when surrendered to Him—can be transformed into something beautiful.

Let the valley prepare you.
And when God brings you to the mountaintop, stop… look around… and take in the perspective.

He hasn’t forgotten you.