When God Feels Distant
As many of you know, I am currently taking a couple of theology classes at Western Seminary on the side as I continue to serve in youth ministry. Many of my spare hours have been spent reading various books on the topics I’m studying. Therefore, on the days I’m tasked to write the connection article, I find myself in a predicament: I can either come up with a topic or idea to write about that I don’t have a ton of certainty of, or I can share something I’ve read recently that is far more profound and likely to encourage your soul. Today I have chosen the latter.
We often talk about God being near us, experiencing Him, or worshiping in his presence when we gather as a church. We often equate how we are doing spiritually with either feeling near the Lord or distant from Him. It can feel confusing when we believe truth in Scripture that Christ has brought us close to Himself, but our feelings or experience are telling us a different story. As sins seem to begin to pile up in our lives, we may begin to believe God has become displeased with us—that He has more love for those who seem to have their life together, and we need to work to please Him to feel close to Him again.
Last night, I was reading a short book titled, The Practice of the Presence of God, which is a series of conversations and letters from a lowly, unlearned, and lame man from the 1600’s. In one of his letters written to a friend, he writes,
“I think it proper to inform you after what manner I consider myself before God, whom I behold as my King. I consider myself as the most wretched of men, full of sores and corruption, and who has committed all sorts of crimes against his King; touched with a sensible regret, I confess to him all my wickedness, I ask His forgiveness, I abandon myself in His hands that He may do what he pleases with me. The King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favorite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time in His holy presence.”
I was reminded of the truth, “Drawn near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). This invitation to draw near to God isn’t just an invitation for the “good Christians”, but it is extended to the worst of sinners. Drawing near to God is the prerequisite for the sinner’s hands being cleansed and heart being purified. We are invited to draw near to God in our pain, confusion, guilt, shame, grief, repeated sins, and failures. And there is never a moment when God’s love and grace are not there to fully catch us! There is nothing you or I could do to make God love us more. The Christian life is not meant to just be lived for God. It’s meant to be lived with Him.
Jacob Abrahamson
Youth Pastor