We often think the Lord is at hand when our circumstances are going well and absent when they are not. But Samuel makes a pointed claim: that God is in all.
Throughout Scripture, the biblical authors are trying to communicate that the measures of this world are not the same measures for the Kingdom of God.
Wealth, fame, popularity, even “feeling good” are major aims of the world. They are the fulfillment of our fleshly appetites, which the world tells us is the highest goal. Add to that list our obsession with prolonging life.
We certainly should do what we can to stay alive. We ought to keep death at bay as best we can. But that is a battle we are destined to lose. The same goes for the other appetites; they won’t last. There will be moments of fame (even if it is in small circles) and moments of embarrassment. There will be moments of failure and moments of achievement. There will be times where we prosper and times when we struggle.
God is not preoccupied with our circumstances. He is prioritizing relationship. And all circumstances are an invitation into relationship. No matter what we experience, we have a choice. And it is our choices that determine our path.