Recently I wondered to myself: do other Christians sometimes not “feel” God’s nearness? Not a day or so later, I heard a famous preacher speak about seasons in life when God seems distant. I guess I am not the only one after all!

In fact, the Bible is full of stories of people of God who felt a distance from their Creator. We may be tempted to think that those who heard God speak had it easier than we, and our faith would be stronger if we experienced the same. 

Yet Abraham went decades after God’s initial promises to him before he heard the Lord speak again, and three full decades before he lived to see those promises fulfilled. Do you think he ever felt distance from God? Considering Sarah laughed after 30 years of waiting, it seems safe to say their experience with God was not walking on air and a rose petal pathway. Faith was essential in their journey. 

And how many times do the Psalmists cry out in anguish, “God, where are you right now?” Faith in what they knew about God also gave them hope. 

What about Jesus himself? There are elements of the life of Christ we are not told about in the Gospels, and we dare not speculate. However, it’s no stretch to assert Jesus lived his earthly journey in faith, setting an example for us of how to live trusting our Father. When Jesus endured seasons of pain, suffering and isolation, I am certain the Father’s words at His baptism – “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” – provided a great comfort to Him. 

Friend, whether you feel the nearness of God is irrelevant to how near God actually is to you. The basis of your relationship with Christ is not how you feel but rather what God has declared about you in his Word. Consider the fact that He loves you beyond a knowledge you can understand (Ephesians 3:17-19). Remember that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39). Never forget that He has chosen you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-6). The same Christ that gave Himself for us on Calvary is the same Christ that will never leave us and never forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). 

In the dark times, when you feel far from God, trust what you know to be true about Him and His promises of continuous nearness to you.

Soli Deo Gloria!