The Lord is in this place,
and I was not aware of it.
—Genesis 28:16
At his campsite, Jacob went to sleep and dreamed about angels, and heaven, and God’s promises concerning the future. Waking up wide-eyed, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
A backward glance sometimes makes us aware of the presence of God where he was least expected.
“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees,” said the psalmist (Ps 119:71).
Paul found himself in circumstances beyond his ability to endure. But he said it happened so he wouldn’t rely on himself but on God (2 Cor 1: 8–9).
Miles on the other side of the rough road you’ve traveled, you may find yourself saying, “The Lord was in [that] place, and I was not aware of it.”
The hard time may turn out
to be the best time.