WHEN HAGAR was forced to leave Abraham's camp, she wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, a region roughly thirty miles southwest of Hebron. Hagar, like most suddenly single parents, faced the challenge of having to survive alone, having to make too little provision cover too many needs, and wondering if God still cared.

Perhaps you're experiencing a time in your life when you feel absolutely alone. Your future is bleak, and you can't remember the last time you really laughed. Your soul is parched, and you don't know where to turn.

At the risk of sounding like a preacher, may I offer a few words of hope?

You need to know that while you feel all alone, you are not alone. God sees you. He hears your weeping. He will care for you and turn your sorrow into dancing. The nights are long, but God will sustain you and restore you. He will see you through the barrenness of Beersheba. You will be whole again—and sooner than you think.

If you identify with Hagar, take heart. When your life has recovered from this dark time, the strength you will have gained will compensate for those desperately difficult days. In the meantime, I repeat: please know that God has not left you alone. As Hagar lay weeping in despair and the young man lay dying of thirst, God heard their sorrow. He knows that you're trapped between deep regret and gnawing bitterness. He understands you. And He will never leave you alone.