When God seems distant.

[Ausie 52]

I was wondering how many folks have had a period in life, when God seemed absent?

All the usual things like prayer, Bible, fellowship and worship were empty and devoid of God's presence.

How long did it last? How did you respond? What helped?

Devotional teaches variously call it 'spiritual aridity', 'Dark Night of the senses', 'Wilderness or desert experience etc.

I am researching the subject and would appreciate some feedback.

Peace.

Jeffrey

 

 

[timf]

I would suggest that God is less variable than we are.

Our emotional reactions can vary considerably and may not have any bearing on God's closeness or distance. For those who make determinations that God controls every aspect of their life, there can be periods that seem void of direct interventions. This may not be God's absences, but an indication they we were mistaken about his previous direct control.

We know from the bible that God desires all to come to a knowledge of the truth. However, seeing every aspect of our life directed by God may not be following truth and might even cause us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought.

One might think he honors God by attributing every pleasant thing that happens to him. However, this is similar to how pagans viewed their gods. If one looks at the life of Paul, one can see some direct intervention. However,this was for God's purposes. It did not stop Paul from being beaten and almost killed.

God may not have any interest in what shoes we buy, what school we go to, what job we have, or who we marry. Life will be easy or hard based on choices we make and random forces. What God is hoping for is that those who trusted in Jesus will use their free will to mature into the image of Christ. Micromanaging us tends to defeat the purpose of free will.

 

 

[AnOrangeCat]

4 hours ago, timf said:

I would suggest that God is less variable than we are.

Our emotional reactions can vary considerably and may not have any bearing on God's closeness or distance.

These two sentences are pretty much my thoughts exactly. From my teenage years into my late 30s or early 40s I suffered heavily from intrusive thoughts that were typically of an aggression toward God/blasphemy against the Holy Spirit sort. Whenever a fit of it came I felt distant or entirely removed from God, panicked, cried, prayed, and would argue with those thoughts for stretches of time, sometimes even out loud. This happened on and off throughout all those years, but despite them I would still end up in situations where God intervened on my behalf and would eventually reach a point where I no longer felt I had offended God or was beyond redemption. There was really no basis for the thoughts to be appearing at all as I didn't have any occasion to feel anger or aggression toward God.

The last time I had a major episode of it I actually ended up stepping up in my Christian walk as a result of it. It doesn't happen near as often and when it does the severity is far less intense. What I feel I learned from that was that when we feel distant from God it's quite often our emotions factoring in, and that in my own case those intrusive thoughts were something He allowed me to suffer from to bring me closer to Him. With the purpose achieved the thorn has largely been removed. 

For anyone else suffering from bouts of feeling distant from God I'd suggest some self examination. It may well be emotional, and if it is and it's a consistent problem consider countering it with something similarly rooted in emotion. In my own case reaching out to help other believers more often did the job. I know salvation isn't works based, but it certainly makes me feel better about my relationship with God on an emotional level. That really helps in dealing with insecurities and other emotion based nuisances that pop up from time to time.

[TheBlade]

12 hours ago, Ausie 52 said:

I was wondering how many folks have had a period in life, when God seemed absent?

All the usual things like prayer, Bible, fellowship and worship were empty and devoid of God's presence.

How long did it last? How did you respond? What helped?

Devotional teaches variously call it 'spiritual aridity', 'Dark Night of the senses', 'Wilderness or desert experience etc.

I am researching the subject and would appreciate some feedback.

Peace.

Jeffrey

 

 

I once asked someone "how you know is His voice?" you know that you know that you know.  As we grow we know not to go by how we feel because man when we do walk by feelings...nothing more then feelings trying to.. sorry song lol. We walk by faith we live by faith. As we grow we just know not with our head but our heart that He will never leave us never for sake us. He said the sweet holy spirit will be with us forever. These dry spells... I don't believe in. Christ told who.. Thomas that blessed are those that have never seen yet believe. So rejoice.. God can not lie He has never left you. You keep pressing in you do not stop. You stand and when done all to stand you stand. Speak words of life.. No.. He is here He is in me.. I have His joy I have His strength I have the full armor of GOD. 

Run with faith not doubt. Yeah if you could "see" you would Him.. angels.. you have never been alone. Even though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. So walk buy faith.. we don't have to "I will not believe until I see His hands his side". What did He do? He showed him. I know you can but will you? I believe but help my unbelief. He said yes and He did it. 

He is not like man.. like how our Fathers/mothers treated us or how we treat out kids/spouse. Its like when suffering comes.. He didn't do it but you praise Him for it.. He didn't do it.. you praise Him you worship Him.. for you know that you  know that you know no matter what happens no matter how dark it gets.. He will never ever ever leave you. That bible and all His promises are yes and amen. He always keeps His word. So.. yeah He never left.. to many times life hits us and we listen to that.. or we expect Him to act in a way He did last time :) Odd how He just does not do it the same way ever time. Its always new.. always better.. always stronger. 

Thank you Father 

[Alive]

10 minutes ago, TheBlade said:

I once asked someone "how you know is His voice?" you know that you know that you know.  As we grow we know not to go by how we feel because man when we do walk by feelings...nothing more then feelings trying to.. sorry song lol. We walk by faith we live by faith. As we grow we just know not with our head but our heart that He will never leave us never for sake us. He said the sweet holy spirit will be with us forever. These dry spells... I don't believe in. Christ told who.. Thomas that blessed are those that have never seen yet believe. So rejoice.. God can not lie He has never left you. You keep pressing in you do not stop. You stand and when done all to stand you stand. Speak words of life.. No.. He is here He is in me.. I have His joy I have His strength I have the full armor of GOD. 

Run with faith not doubt. Yeah if you could "see" you would Him.. angels.. you have never been alone. Even though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. So walk buy faith.. we don't have to "I will not believe until I see His hands his side". What did He do? He showed him. I know you can but will you? I believe but help my unbelief. He said yes and He did it. 

He is not like man.. like how our Fathers/mothers treated us or how we treat out kids/spouse. Its like when suffering comes.. He didn't do it but you praise Him for it.. He didn't do it.. you praise Him you worship Him.. for you know that you  know that you know no matter what happens no matter how dark it gets.. He will never ever ever leave you. That bible and all His promises are yes and amen. He always keeps His word. So.. yeah He never left.. to many times life hits us and we listen to that.. or we expect Him to act in a way He did last time :) Odd how He just does not do it the same way ever time. Its always new.. always better.. always stronger. 

Thank you Father 

A wonderful encouraging post! He is indeed the Great Shepherd.

Psalms 27:1    The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me

To eat up my flesh,

My enemies and foes,

They stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war may rise against me,

In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

9 Do not hide Your face from me;

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not leave me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,

And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;

For false witnesses have risen against me,

And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!

[TheBlade]

2 minutes ago, Alive said:

A wonderful encouraging post! He is indeed the Great Shepherd.

Psalms 27:1    The LORD is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strength of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me

To eat up my flesh,

My enemies and foes,

They stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army may encamp against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war may rise against me,

In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the LORD

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the LORD,

And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;

Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;

I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

9 Do not hide Your face from me;

Do not turn Your servant away in anger;

You have been my help;

Do not leave me nor forsake me,

O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,

And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;

For false witnesses have risen against me,

And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed

That I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Perfect.. I live in the age of grace yet wow what and how did David see and hear and know. A man after Gods own heart. 

[Alive]

4 minutes ago, TheBlade said:

Perfect.. I live in the age of grace yet wow what and how did David see and hear and know. A man after Gods own heart. 

By the Holy Spirit on him. David was anointed to write for all of our benefit...Praise the Lord!

[InChristsLight]

In the past when I have felt this it was usually during a time when my self will was trying to control things. It's only after surrendering to God's will I felt truly connected to the holy Spirit. It's a work in progress, but each day I pray for guidance I grow that much closer to God's will. In my experience the course of this is self awareness (can be painful), acceptance, surrender, followed by wisdom, peace, and true joy.

[Marilyn C]

I think we as humans look too much for the `feelings.` God is always there and it is for us to appreciate His faithfulness, His mercy and grace. As we regularly give Him thanks and praise then we are feeding our spirit. Appreciate the everyday blessings we have and not constantly looking to God to keep proving Himself to us. 

God will by His Holy Spirit often highlight a word or action that needs to be addressed. This correction is to make us more like Christ and not our selfish past. 

[Alive]

6 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

I think we as humans look too much for the `feelings.` God is always there and it is for us to appreciate His faithfulness, His mercy and grace. As we regularly give Him thanks and praise then we are feeding our spirit. Appreciate the everyday blessings we have and not constantly looking to God to keep proving Himself to us. 

God will by His Holy Spirit often highlight a word or action that needs to be addressed. This correction is to make us more like Christ and not our selfish past. 

Amen! He is always there and feelings cannot be trusted.