3 Things You Can Do When You Feel Far Away From God
He was holding a paper target and green sticker, asking how close to God I felt, and I was lost for a moment thinking how he was only five and already asking such deep questions. Convinced I hadn’t heard him, he repeated his inquiry—and I then realized he was echoing a question he’d been asked at church.
“Right there in the middle, buddy,” I said.
He grinned. “Okay! I’ll put your sticker right on top of mine!”
Days later, I haven’t the heart to clear the paper from the table. I see it in my peripheral vision as I prop my elbows high on our big farm table and type words I hope will encourage your heart. It’s a reminder that God is always close, even when my feelings disagree.
Do you feel far away from God?
Maybe that’s the kind of day you’re having—the kind where you don’t feel beautiful and you’re frustrated with everything. Or you’re under of cloud of “behind and getting nowhere,” “not good enough,” or “no one even cares.”
Perhaps you have too many unanswered questions to believe God is close and that He loves you. You feel unworthy of God’s tender attention, unconvinced that He cares about you.
There are days your head knows God is close, but your heart senses the disconnect.
It’s not just you. Even King David vacillated between feeling extremely close to God and agonizingly far away. Listen to his plea for comfort in Psalm 39:12.
Lord, listen to all my tender cries. Read my every tear, like liquid words that plead for your help. I feel alone at times, like a stranger to you . . .
TPT
In this moment, I’d guess David’s sticker would be pretty far from the center of the target.
What I love about David is that he was always moving towards the center—the sweet assurance of God’s closeness—no matter how far off track he got. Over and again throughout the Psalms we see despondent David turn to God in gratitude. David knew he could trust God’s heart even when big feelings got in the way. He understood God was for him. That He was right there even when David couldn’t see Him.
“I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me,” penned David in Psalm 40:1 (TPT). Verses later, we meet a David overflowing with passionate gratitude:
A new song for a new day rises up in me every time I think about how he breaks through for me! Ecstatic praise pours out of my mouth until everyone hears how God has set me free. Many will see his miracles; they’ll stand in awe of God and fall in love with him!
Psalm 40:3 TPT
And David cannot stop spilling words of praise. They bubble up from a heart comforted and secure in God, as the following verses illustrate.
What to do when God feels distant
Taking cues from David, let’s talk about what we can practically do when God feels distant.
1. We remind ourselves of who God is.
David knew that his changing emotions didn’t negate that God never changes. God is as sure as steady as the sun breaking beyond the horizon every morning.
Putting words to song helped David remember truths about God’s character. I can’t sing on key, but I can’t get enough of raw worship that teaches my heart to trust God, so I turn on worship songs. I play them loud, and often on repeat. I find the repetition creates a soundtrack for my inner thoughts.
We can also remind ourselves of who God is by putting Scripture verses in visible places. We remember what we see over and over again, just like we remember what we hear repeatedly.
A third practical way to remember God’s faithful provision, tender affection, and empowering strength is to recall the ways He’s come through for us in the past. Keeping a record of answered prayers gives you an arm to lean on when you’re struggling.
2. We wait on Him, trusting His timing.
We tend to get antsy when we have to wait. We twiddle our thumbs, tap our feet, complain out loud (or at least in our heads). As much as we don’t like it, though, waiting has much to teach.
Waiting strengthens the muscles we use to trust God. It grows our character. And it’s a testimony to our families, neighbors, and friends that God is good in the no-matter-what.
When you’re impatiently waiting, borrow the words of David in Psalm 42:11.
So I say to my soul, “Don’t be discouraged. Don’t be disturbed. For I know my God will break through for me.” Then I’ll have plenty of reasons to praise him all over again. Yes, he is my saving grace!
TPT
Today won’t last forever, and tomorrow is worth waiting for!
3. We praise Him before the breakthrough.
The third thing we can do when God feels far away is to choose a grateful heart in the midst of what we’re facing. Gratitude sets our hearts free from fear. It redirects our thoughts that tend to dwell on our problems rather than the things of heaven.
Gratitude that says thank you before, not after, our head and heart align, a way through is found, changes the situation because it changes us first.
Giving thanks in the middle of a storm is like turning on a light in a dark room. The light pushes the darkness out, and you can see clearly again how God’s been there all along.
And gratitude not only turns on the light for us, but for the people near us too. Name aloud the ways God is good in the middle of your current circumstances so others can overhear. You’ll be planting seeds of hope at home, in your neighborhood, and in all the other places you frequent.
Creating a rhythm of gratitude
If you’d like to make gratitude a rhythm in your life, I invite you to read some of the real-life stories on Begin Within: A Gratitude Series. Learn from what others have tried. Borrow hope when you can’t find it on your own. Then let gratitude ripple out beyond you.
P.S. Did you know you can get the weekly Begin Within stories delivered straight to your email inbox?
Dear Jesus, I pray for the ones who feel like You’re far away. They wonder whether You’re good and if You care about them. As they remember and recall, wait and trust, and praise you in the middle of the mess, would You breakthrough like a warm and welcome light?
Just a friend over here in your corner,
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