What do I do when I feel far from God?
Feeling far from God is not the same as being far from Him. Scripture gives the feeling an honest voice in the psalms, then sets facts underneath it: He has promised never to leave, nothing can separate us from His love, and anyone once far off has been made near in the blood of Christ. Where sin has dulled the sense of nearness, confession clears it. And when words run out, the Spirit intercedes while we wait for Him, because waiting on God is often how He is found.
This question arose from studying Does God really hear my prayers? and Is it okay to have doubts sometimes?.
Begin by reading
Go into the Word
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
The feeling is ancient, and Scripture does not scold you for it
'How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?' That is not unbelief talking; that is an inspired psalmist. Even Jesus prayed Psalm 22's opening from the cross: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' The Bible gives you language for the ache instead of pretending that faithful people never feel abandoned.
How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Feeling far is not the same as being far
Underneath the feeling stand unmovable facts. He has said, 'I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you,' and Jesus closes Matthew with, 'I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Paul stacks impossibilities: nothing in all creation 'will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Your emotions can go dark without His presence going anywhere. Feelings are weather; union with Christ is climate.
Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sometimes the distance has a name, and confession clears it
Not every sense of distance comes from sin, but some does. Isaiah names it plainly: 'your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you.' If that is what is happening, the way back is short and well lit: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Do not let unnamed sin sit between you; bring it into the light and be cleansed.
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Draw near, on the ground of His blood rather than your performance
The command is not to feel close but to come close. 'Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.' To exiles far from home God said, 'you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.' And the ground of your approach is never your performance but His blood: 'you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.' So come confidently: 'let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith.'
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
But from there you shall seek Yahweh your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
When words run out, the Spirit intercedes and waiting becomes worship
There will be seasons when you do not know what to say. Paul answers directly: 'we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.' In the meantime, wait well: 'Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.' Micah settles his own heart this way: 'But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.' Waiting on God is not the opposite of finding Him; it is often the very way He is found.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him.The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
Studying the Word naturally opens more of it. Follow what you just read: it leads somewhere.
Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
How long, Yahweh? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Yahweh is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh.The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Worth visiting