When GOD Seems Distant

God is real no matter how we feel. When things are going great, we find it easy to worship God, but how do we manage this during unpleasant circumstances? When God seems distant how can we respond? To worship God at the deepest level is to praise Him regardless of the pain we feel. Being grateful towards God during times of difficulty, putting trust in His plan despite temptation, surrendering control through hardships, and loving God even at times when He seems distant.

Sometimes in our relationship with God - no matter how personal - there could be moments when we don’t feel as close to him and this makes worship a challenge. Building a relationship with God takes effort and sometimes it may feel like He is not present. The days when one experiences spiritual drought and detachment from God are commonly referred to as 'the dark night of the soul,' according to St John's teachings. King David was very close to God, a man God said to be after His own heart. Yet King David frequently complained of God's absence, "Lord, why are You standing aloof and far away? Why have You forsaken me? Why do You ignore my cries for help? Why have You abandoned me?" But God didn't really leave King David and He will not leave us too, for He has promised us repeatedly, "I will never leave you or forsake you." But God did not promise us that we will always feel His presence.

God admits that sometimes he hides his face from us. We may have moments when we can't feel the presence of God in our life, and you wake up one day only to realise that your deep spiritual emotions are gone without a trace. No amount of prayer or rebuking the devil has helped bring them back yet. Even after going through hours of religious exercise such as confession and fasting as well as having close ones praying on your behalf it feels like God isn't listening, then you begin to wonder what is the matter with you? But there is nothing wrong with you. This is a normal part of the testing and nurturing of our relationship with God. Although it is painful, it is absolutely important for the development of our faith.

When God seems distant, we may feel that he is angry with us or His is disciplining us for our sins. Sin does disconnect us from intimate friendship with God, but often, this feeling of abandonment from God has nothing to do with sin. It is a test of faith; "will we continue to love, trust, obey and worship God even when we have no sense of His presence or visible evidence of His work in our lives?"

God is ever present, even when we are unaware of Him, and His presence is too profound to be measured. He is more concerned that we trust Him than that we feel Him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God.

When God seems distant, we should tell Him exactly how we feel, focus on who God is - His unchanging nature, trust God to keep His promise and remember what God has already done for us.

GOD may seem distant in our lives sometimes, but HE is ever present!