When God Feels Far
Have you ever experienced seasons where you feel like God is out of reach? Seasons of silence where it feels like you can't hear His voice? These seasons are all too familiar. I have been in seasons that overflow with words from the Lord. His presence surrounds me, and I feel Him constantly. Then there are seasons when I feel like He is farther than I can reach. It is silent, and I can't hear anything.
Then comes questions of...
"Where are you, God?"
"What did I do wrong?"
"Why do you feel so far?"
Here is what I often forget when I experience these seasons, these questions that come to my mind do not represent God's voice or character. The enemy wants me to believe that God has left me, that I've done something wrong and that is why I can't feel His presence or hear His voice. Not only is this a tactic to bring defeat to my heart, but it is a direct contradiction of God's word and His promises. God promises that He will never leave us, He will never take His eye off of us, and that there is nothing that can separate us from His love.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” - Romans 8:38-39
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” - Deuteronomy 31:8
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” - Genesis 28:15
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10
God's word allows us to have confidence that He will never leave us, (thank you Lord for your endless love and grace) which leads to another big truth which is that we are the ones who create barriers that prevent us from experiencing His presence.
There are times when I can feel myself slowly drifting and other times when life gets in the way of me prioritizing God like I desire to. Ultimately it is my actions whether done knowing or unknowingly that pull me away from Him.
Here are a few barriers that I've personally identified that create the idea that God is far from me:
Busyness - Being productive is not the issue here, it's filling my time with tasks that have no significance and/or not prioritizing my time effectively. Going through life like this leaves no room to connect with Jesus because all of my time is consumed with doing other things.
Idols - When I say idols I don't mean people, but rather allowing my mind to be consumed with thoughts, ideas, tasks, worries, or fears leaving no room for God to occupy my mind. If I am focused so immensely on anything other than the Lord I am making that thing an idol and blocking my heart and mind from hearing from the Lord.
Not reading the Word/Spending Time with Jesus - Any thriving relationship requires intention. Intention to get to know that person and spend time with them. Jesus truly desires to be with us, He eagerly waits for us to seek His presence. When I prioritize God above all things I feel His presence the most and I create an environment to hear His voice.
If you are in a season that feels like God is distant I want to encourage you to pause, reflect, and remind yourself of His promises. Identify the barriers that may be blocking you from experiencing God's presence so you can make the necessary changes to draw near Him.
Prayer:
Lord, I thank you for your promises of never leaving or forsaking your children. Please allow your promises to be strength when it feels like you are far from us. We pray that you remove anything that may be trying to pull our attention away from you. You are our greatest desire and we never want to feel distant from you, so please shape our hearts to always pursue you with intention and create space to sit in your presence.
In Jesus name, Amen.
