Growing closer to God when you feel far away
At some point we all experience a moment, a week, or even maybe a stretch of years when we feel far away. When that happens, we long for those moments when we felt close and wonder if we'll ever get there again. Maybe you are struggling with a sense of belonging, your place in the faith community or maybe you have hard questions about your faith. Whatever the reason, know that you are not alone.
Fr. Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest, discusses this feeling of disconnection, referring to it as both profound and painful. God is a God of relationship and connection. He created us for community with others and also with Him. We may feel far away from God, but the truth is that we never really are. “Our sense of disconnection,” according to Father Rohr, “is only an illusion. Nothing can stop the flow of divine love; we cannot undo the eternal pattern even by our worst sin. God is always winning, and God’s love will finally win in the end. Nothing humans can do can stop the relentless outpouring force that is the divine dance. Love does not lose, nor does God lose. That’s what it means to be God!”
Father Rohr’s words echo those of Paul’s in Romans 8:38-39 when he declares that nothing — absolutely nothing — can separate us from the love of God; and then just to make sure we really understand, Paul lists all the arguments we might bring to him and says, nope, not that either: “nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable — absolutely nothing” (MSG).
But I get it. The reality is that there are times when I simply do not feel close to God. Truth is, the problem is on my side of the table, not God’s. God didn’t shift His position, but rather something in my own life has shifted; so what do I do to get back to where I was?
James 4:7-10 (MSG) says, “Let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.”
If you feel a distance between you and God, the first thing to do is to examine your own heart. Ask God to show you if there is something in your life that you have placed as a priority that shouldn’t be. Perhaps there is someone you have hurt and need to ask for forgiveness. Maybe there is a sin you’ve allowed to slowly creep into your life that you need to deal with.
Every relationship, even the one you hold with your Creator, requires time. Are you spending time talking to God, worshipping with fellow believers and following His command to love others unconditionally? Start with these three steps and be intentional about your relationship. Know that you are not alone in your faith journey. In fact, if you haven’t done so yet, we’d love for you to join us at Centerpoint and get plugged into one of our community groups. You’ll meet lifelong friends who are also asking hard questions of their faith and seeking to learn more about Jesus.