Parenting books will tell you that between 4 and 8 months of age babies typically begin to learn something pretty special called object permanence. This means that they come to understand that physical objects, including people, still exist even when they’re not in sight.
At the moment I have 2 precious granddaughters who are 7 months old. They will soon be showing a strong grasp of life lesson Object Permanence 101 (physical reality) – they will begin to enjoy searching for hidden toys or looking for mom or dad when they leave the room. For all of us the completion of Object Permanence 101 is an important milestone during the first year of life.
But we humans are not merely physical beings. We are also spiritual beings.
My 16 year old granddaughter reminded me the other day that life is not only about destinations. Milestones are significant, but the journey of day-to-day life itself is what tests, shapes, teaches, and prepares us for our ultimate destination. My teenaged granddaughter is now of an age where she’s engaged (as are we all) in a learning process that will continue to one degree or another for the rest of our lives — I will call this Object Permanence 201 (spiritual reality). This means that we come to understand that spiritual realities still exist even when we can’t see them.
A Christian will often say that when they first came to faith in Jesus, God was very present with them. They prayed and got answers, they sensed the Lord’s nearness and his guidance. Jesus spoke directly to their spirit when reading scripture. They knew the comfort and love of the Holy Spirit when they were heartbroken. God often feels very tangible, intimate and undeniable to baby believers. It’s exactly what they need!
But as in the physical, so in the spiritual realm: we must grow up, moving from being infants to becoming mature believers. When life happens and circumstances get hard, it doesn’t always seem as if God is in the same room with us. We may wonder if he’s forgotten or abandoned us. Our prayers seem to disappear into empty space; our cries for help seem to go unheeded. Especially when life’s load becomes crushing and the light of hope grows dim, we can sometimes begin to doubt that God really loves us, cares about us, or even exists.
This is when the lesson of object permanence becomes so vital. This is when we either give in to despair, or we press in to really trust God and rely on His promises. Just because we lose sight of God’s presence doesn’t mean he’s absent. Just because silence engulfs us doesn’t mean he isn’t speaking. Just because we are confused about what to do doesn’t mean God hasn’t already made a way for us.
The Bible is very clear that the Lord is faithful, he is good, and he absolutely loves His kids!
He will never leave us or forsake us (“I am with you always”. Matthew 28:20).
He never changes (“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever”. Hebrews 13:8).
He always wants to bless us (“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning”. Lamentations 3:22-23).
My life scripture is Psalm 23. It was the first Bible passage I memorized as a young girl. I love this psalm. It begins with the Lord leading me into good things (He’s my shepherd, he leads me to rest in green pastures and beside still waters, he leads me in righteous ways). The psalm ends with his goodness and mercy following me. So God is basically saying “I’ve got you. I’m here in front and right behind you. I’m with you even, and especially, during those times when you can’t see or hear me. You can absolutely trust me!”
I’m still learning about object permanence in my spiritual life. On occasion, my mind trumps my spirit and demands proof. Sometimes I really don’t like it when God plays peek-a-boo with me.
After the crucifixion of Jesus, the disciple Thomas had a really hard time when, several days later, his friends reported seeing the resurrected Jesus. He wanted and needed to see for himself. Soon after, the risen Jesus appeared again to his band of closest followers. This time Thomas was there. Jesus showed himself to Thomas, inviting him to touch his wounded hands and side as proof that he was real and alive. Overcome, Thomas fell at Jesus’ feet and called him Lord. Jesus said to him, ” Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Sometimes I’m like Thomas – still needing to “see” to believe. How quickly I forget God’s faithfulness in the past! How often I need to be reminded of His goodness in my life. I’m a work in progress. My understanding of the “permanence” of God is growing, as I continue my life journey 70 years in. I’m excited to see my grandbabies graduate from Object Permanence 101. And as they get older I can’t wait for them join me in the classroom of Object Permanence 201 — learning to trust that our heavenly Father is always real, always there for us, always worthy of our trust — no matter what.
** “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ” (Hebrews 11:1) **
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