If you feel distant from the Lord…
Perhaps today, you feel distant from the Lord. There are many reasons this may be your experience. Possibly you have been sinning for some time and have not enjoyed any fellowship with God because you are walking in darkness. For others, it may be significant disappointment and discouragement. In your mind, God has providentially allowed one or many things in your life that have disappointed you rather significantly. For some, the cares of the world have pushed God aside. The cares of the world could include anything from activities with your children or grandchildren to education to a hobby. You may fit in another group as well, those who have been sinned against, especially by someone who you thought loved Jesus. And, they may. But regardless, the person you loved or trusted or respected sinned against you in one way or another.
In any combination of the scenarios above, it is easy as a follower of Jesus to feel distant from the Lord. Whereas a friend can sit with you or give you a hug, God is different. He is with us. The Bible explains it to us. The Spirit of God convinces our hearts of truth. Jesus took on flesh and became one of us. However, until we get to heaven at the end of our lives, we cannot actually experience being with Him physically. Yet, He is with us. Not enjoying His physical presence does not minimize His spiritual presence. In fact, He is everywhere. He is with us.
But, you do not always feel and enjoy His presence. How then, if you feel distant from the Lord, can you get close to Him again?
God comes to us when we come to Him.
Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, a simple truth remains: God comes to us when we come to Him. Let me show you two places where we see this truth.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Azariah was sent by God to King Asa with this exact message.
He met Asa and told him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you when you are loyal to him. If you seek him, he will respond to you, but if you reject him, he will reject you. (2 Chronicles 15:2)
This prophet explained a straight-forward truth. When you are loyal to God, He is with you. Not that He was not present prior to your obedience, instead, you sense the fullness of His presence when you choose to be loyal to Him. Notice how he continues, “If you seek him, he will respond to you…” God will respond to you when you respond to Him.
What about the New Testament? In a very similar way, James, Jesus’ half-brother, teaches us the same principle. Notice what He says:
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8)
To those followers of Jesus who were going through intense trials, James reminds them how to close the perceived distance from God. If you take a step toward God – by drawing near – then God will move close to you. Again, not because God was far away. Even to the one who does not follow God, He is near that person (cf., Acts 17:27).
How do you draw near to God?
Let me make this as simple as I can. These steps can be teased out of both 2 Chronicles and James.
- Humbly approach God. Tell God how dependent you are upon Him for all of life. Explain how you desperately need Him and depend upon His faithfulness to His Word and promises to you. Turn to him in humility.
- Ask God to help you in your heart or inner man. Ask God to forgive you of sins that are secret. Explain how you want your heart to be pure, close to Him, and serving Him only. If you know that you want anything else more than Him (an idol), confess that. Ask God to help you be sensitive to Him in your heart.
- Determine what you need to do in your actions that honor the Lord. Potentially you have outward sins of commission or omission. A sin of commission means that you are doing something behaviorally that specifically does not honor God. Identify those areas and commit to changing them. Determine what the next right step is and do that thing. Further, a sin of omission relates to something that you know God tells you to do, but for some reason you are not doing that particular thing. You are failing to honor God in a particular way. Whatever those things are, consider your life and seek to take the next right step to put off sins that do not honor God and put on behavior that brings God glory. Repent of the places where you can see God is not honored; begin to honor Him.
Friend, while doing these things, you are drawing near to God. Take one step at a time. But, take that step. As you do, you will begin to enjoy the closeness of God. He is already close, you just have to put yourself where you can experience the closeness.
“If you seek him, he will respond to you…”
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
Yes, and amen.
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