Do you feel distant from God, Roses? Does it seem like each time you read the Bible, you’re left alone and empty? Has talking to God become surprisingly hard, and do devotions seem like a daily chore?

It feels like something is wrong with your faith. 

I know what it’s like, when God seems so far away. Everything else in your life simply serves as a distraction that pulls you away from Him, and whenever you start to feel close, something pulls you further away. 

It feels like there is something wrong with you, or with your faith. Each time you try and turn to God, you can’t find the closeness you once had with Him. It always seems like something is wrong, something is missing. 

That distance has many different causes, but it’s not uncommon in the Christian faith. We let the rest of our lives get in the way of our relationship with God, and without even realizing it we start to drift away. 

Drifting away like that leaves us hopeless and lost, with the sense that we’re sliding backward in our faith, losing this close relationship we once had. 

The absence of feeling doesn’t mean God is absent.

Yet what is so amazing about this is that even when you feel far from God, He’s still present in your life. God won’t walk away from you because of one, two, or countless mistakes.  He can use anything to help us grow closer to Him and to strengthen our faith. Even the low moments, when we’re drifting further and further away, can be cleverly planned turning points that draw us closer to God. 

Those times when we feel most lost and alone, God can be working to show us His greatness and deepen His relationship with us. 

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

Our times of weakness, our struggles, our failures, all showcase the greatness of God. He is greater than your struggles. He is stronger than whatever makes you feel distant from Him. And He can use these times to draw you closer to Him.

So don’t stop searching for God.

If you feel wearied by struggles, distant from God, and left all alone, take heart. God can use this in your life. Everything that you’ve viewed a failure, everything that’s been overwhelming you, can also be used to draw you closer to your Heavenly Father. 

“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:58

Even as you feel distant from God, however, don’t stop chasing Him. Your labor in the Lord isn’t in vain, and just because you don’t feel close to God doesn’t mean you can’t serve Him right now.

You might not want to turn to God. It might feel impossible even to convince yourself to read the Bible for a few minutes. But each time you make the commitment to seek God, it becomes a little easier to continue to turn to Him and chase after Him. 

So don’t stop seeking Him. Even if it’s hard, even if you do it in little chunks, keep pursuing God. 

God is still present in your lives.

God loves you, Roses. No matter what you feel internally, His love for you will always hold true, and no matter how many times you walk away, He will still be waiting for you with open arms.

That is something that you can hold on to as you strive to grow closer to Him. God loves you, and He won’t let you go.