In life’s journey, we face trials and temptations that can leave us feeling abandoned by God.
This sense of distance is a common experience, especially when we’re down or waiting for God’s intervention.
It’s natural to question: Why does God feel so far away?
Our experiences might tempt us to think that God has forgotten us or turned away from our struggles.
The silence in response to our prayers can be deafening, shaking our faith and sense of God’s presence.
However, it’s crucial to remember that our feelings, while valid, aren’t a representation of our present reality in Christ.
In the following bible discussion, we will explore the:
- Why you might feel you are far from God because of sin,
- Why do we have numerous scriptures in the Old Testament that talk about God being far away and,
- Practical steps to take when feeling far from God’s presence.
WHY DO WE FEEL WE ARE FAR FROM GOD SOMETIMES?
Wrong teachings and a lack of understanding of God’s love have made us feel distant from Him.
Many believers have been taught that sin causes God to abandon us, but this notion is inconsistent with God’s character, the new birth, and His promises in Scripture.
See the following scriptures: (Psalms 103 vs 12, Isaiah 43 vs 25, Jeremiah 31 vs 34, Micah 7 vs 19, and Hebrews 8 vs 12).
This misconception has robbed many believers of their true identity in Christ, leaving them vulnerable to the enemy’s lies.
We often forget that God is proactive, not reactive. He isn’t an emotional being who loves us one moment and hates us the next based on our actions.
When we read Old Testament passages, particularly David’s Psalms expressing feelings of God’s distance, we must remember that David didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Old Testament saints longed for the salvation we now enjoy.
For instance, Psalm 22:1-2 and Psalm 10:1 describe feelings of abandonment.
However, Psalm 22:1-2 is more than a prayer; it’s a prophecy about Christ’s experience on the cross.
Today, such prayers don’t apply to believers in Christ, as we have the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promised that when the Spirit of truth comes, He will be with us forever. This means God is inseparable from us; when He appears, we will appear with Him.
This is our confidence: the work of redemption is complete and perfect, lacking nothing.
Our assurance lies in understanding that God’s love and presence are constant, regardless of our actions.
The new covenant in Christ has established an unbreakable relationship between God and believers.
FEELING FAR FROM GOD BECAUSE OF SIN
When we believers sin, it’s often our guilt that creates a perceived distance from God or causes us to withdraw from Him.
We might mistakenly think the Holy Spirit has left us, or that our body—God’s temple—is now defiled.
However, this isn’t how God sees it. Jesus has removed our sin consciousness and its associated guilt. See the scriptures below:
Romans 8:1 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 10:22 – Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 9:14 – How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.
Hebrews 10:17 – Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.
2 Corinthians 5:19 – That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.”
Colossians 2:13-14 – When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
The parable of the Prodigal Son beautifully illustrates God’s attitude towards us. The father in the story, representing God, waited daily for his son’s return.
When the son finally came back, the father embraced him before he could even finish his apology, symbolizing God’s immediate acceptance.
The father gave him a robe (representing righteousness), restored his authority, and affirmed his sonship. He even celebrated with a feast, showing God’s joy in our return.
Consider also Peter, who denied Jesus three times. When Jesus rose from the dead, He didn’t mention Peter’s denial.
This demonstrates that Christ doesn’t dwell on our shortcomings or instill fear of punishment. Instead, He reminds us of His love and our eternal righteousness in Him.
It’s the enemy, not God, who tries to remind us of our sins and make us feel guilty.
We can resist these thoughts by remembering God’s love and forgiveness, and by affirming our righteousness in Christ.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL GOD IS DISTANT?
Here are practical steps to take when you feel God is distant, meditate on:
- Scriptures emphasize God’s eternal love and indwelling presence.
- Scriptures that talk about his substitutionary sacrifice
- The present ministry of Jesus.
See examples of scriptures below (English Standard Version (ESV):
Romans 5:8 – But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 4:9-10 – In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Ephesians 2:4-5 – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.
1 John 4:16 – So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Scriptures on “God is in us”, “He lives in us”, and “He will always be with us”:
1 Corinthians 3:16 – Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
John 14:17 – Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 8:11 – If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Matthew 28:20 – And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
Zephaniah 3:17 – The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
1 Peter 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.
Hebrews 9:12 – He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
Colossians 1:27 – To them, God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Ephesians 3:17 – So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.
Finally, I recommend you read these books written by W. E. Kenyon:
New Creation Realities: A Revelation of Redemption.
The Hidden Man: The Secret to Living in the Spirit Realm.
What we are in Christ.
The New Kind of Love.
Identification.
The Father and His Family.
Two kinds of Righteousness.
The Bible in the Light of Our Redemption.
In His Presence.
The Two Kinds of Life.
My passion lies in reaching out to young adults in communities and schools, witnessing the transformative power of faith in their lives.
This blog extends my ministry, sharing insights, encouraging believers, and exploring Christ's teachings in daily life.
Welcome, Brother James.
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