Carson Samson

Being present in God’s presence

God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future.

— Ecclesiastes 3:11 (CEV)

Just this week, I sat in a waiting room while a loved one underwent tests. The minutes stretched on as I waited, feeling helpless, weak and afraid. We will stay in this holding pattern for at least a couple more weeks, waiting, fretting, ruminating. 

I’ve spoken often about my mental health struggles, and those who know me know that anxiety and depression walk with me every day. For me, anxiety is often rooted in fear of the future, while depression can pull me toward the past and an unhealthy sense of nostalgia.

Whenever I want to sound learned on the subject of mental health, I quote my lifelong friend, Blaise Pascal, who says, “We never keep to the present. We recall the past; we anticipate the future as if we found it too slow in coming and were trying to hurry it up, or we recall the past as if to stay its too rapid flight…The fact is that the present usually hurts. We thrust it out of sight because it distresses us, and if we find it enjoyable, we are sorry to see it slip away.”

Same, Blaise, same. I struggle in liminal spaces; the present rarely feels bearable. If the present is difficult as it is, imagine my heightened panic in this moment. Off the charts, friends, off the charts.

When reading Phil Gunther’s feature article, I’m convinced that Phil (a more recent friend than Blaise is) speaks directly to me: “God is present in the space where past, present, and future intersect. He has a perfect understanding of the best unfolding of our lives. We see what is in front of us; God sees what is beyond us.”

Bam! Depression — gone! Fear and anxiety — eradicated! Well, maybe not exactly, but comfort comes from the Word of God. The presence of the Holy Spirit calms even the wildest heart, and the understanding that God’s gigantic plan for the world includes you and those you care about brings peace.

Yesterday, a coworker and I asked each other if God could completely cure us of one affliction, what would it be? Without hesitation, we both said, “Our anxiety.” My coworker likened it to silencing the endless static in their head. We pontificated on how wonderful that would be, and even though we knew that God heard our conversation, I think neither of us fully believed that the healing would come. 

I thought of Paul, who in his letter to the Corinthians describes his own particular affliction as a “thorn in the flesh.” He pleaded with God three times to have it removed, but ultimately, it was not to be. He lived with his pain for the rest of his life. And perhaps it is the same for me: that I will never be rid of my anxiety; perhaps this is your situation as well. 

God’s response to Paul, which I imagine was hard for Paul to accept, tells us that we have access to the greatest power ever known. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God waits with us, aware of the outcomes we cannot see. He understands our fears and hears every prayer, whether spoken or unspoken. His unfailing strength supports us in our weakness. 

If living in the present is hard, let’s make our hearts at home in his presence.

This editorial first appeared in the August/September 2026 issue of MB Herald.