“I Don’t Feel Close To God.”

Have you ever said this? Have you ever felt far from the Lord? Have you ever wondered why you just can’t feel His presence? Are you currently in this place? 

You pray and ask Him to help you. You go to church and hear the sermon. You may even ask a friend to pray for you. Maybe you joined a small group in a desperate attempt to seek help. 

I’ve been there and I know, firsthand, just how frustrating it can feel. As I was relistening to episode 17 of Her Renewed Strength–The Podcast, something Erika said stood out to me. She said, “having a relationship with God is not something we need to figure out.” She’s right!

Reading the Bible: The Missing Piece 

You might be praying and asking God to be close to you. Yet, something might be missing. There may be something keeping you from the intimacy you desire with the Lord. 

The missing piece is you reading the Bible, and studying and learning what God says about Himself and about His creation in His word. In doing so, you hear directly from Him. 

In the prologue to the Gospel account he penned, the Apostle John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:1-3

Let me just be clear: John is not saying that Jesus is the Bible. Jesus came to REVEAL the Father to all and He is called The Word because He is the full and final expression of God’s being and will. When He took on the form of a man (Philippians 2:7-8), His life became the inspiration for the gospel accounts and letters penned by the New Testament authors. 

Scripture is God’s written revelation of Himself. This is where He offers details and glimpses of who He is.  Yes, there are some things we don’t or can’t understand, but that’s not because He doesn’t want us to know. It’s because our finite human minds cannot grasp everything there is to know about an infinite God. This doesn’t make Him any less trustworthy or make Scripture any less reliable. In fact, the details of the Scriptures have been studied for thousands of years and still mankind has yet to completely understand it all.

Yet, God is faithful to bring our faith to complete perfection when we pursue Him and decide to trust Him (Philippians 1:6, James 1:4). If you deeply desire to feel close to God, reading His Word is the first piece of advice I’d offer. Just remember, it isn’t just about feeling close to Him. Investing your time and attention in the Word of God is a means of being close to Him because you get to meditate on His inspired word through the authors He chose to pen the Scriptures.

The Struggle of One Christian Woman

Whenever I feel distant from God, I know it’s because I have allowed other things to take His place. I know it’s me who has stepped away from Him. I know that I have let myself get distracted and neglected being in His Word. 

I’m going to be honest and open right now. At the time of writing this, I am struggling to feel close to God. I am struggling to be in the Word and find the time to do so. I am struggling with allowing distractions and the messiness of life get in the way of me having a close relationship with God.

In episode 17, Erika referenced a friend who she said was struggling to feel close to God. I don’t know who that friend was, but it may have been me. It HAS been me a number of times in the past. It is me right now. 

Spending time with God has been my favorite time of the day. It has been something my soul craves and something my mind, body, and family need. If my heart is not close to God, it affects my entire life; my mood; my personality; my parenting; my marriage; my home. 

It’s only through His Word that I can learn this. It’s only through reading His Word that I learn what truly matters and can experience a renewal of my mind and spirit. 

Reading the Bible is not some magic pill that instantly makes my life “better,” but it is “the lamp to my feet; the light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).  When I read the Bible more often and meditate on the wisdom God revealed through His Word, I can “see” where I need to go, metaphorically speaking.

In investing my time and attention in reading the Scriptures, my ears are primed to listen for the direction God offers through the prompting of His Spirit in me. I develop a sensitivity to His voice and, as a result, I’m able to follow Him in the direct He leads me. Whether it is the correct response in a parenting situation, a big decision like where our family should live, or even what verse I need to memorize this week, time in the Bible helps me better discern the path God has for me and helps me to walk by the Spirit. 

Being close to God helps me live my life according to His will rather than my own. 

Tips and Encouragement for the Christian Woman Who Wants To Feel God’s Presence

If your schedule is anything like mine, you might scratch your head wondering when you’ll have distraction-free time in God’s Word. One helpful tip Erika offered in episode 17 was to maximize on technology and utilize the YouVersion app. In fact, you can even open up to your passage of choice and click the triangle button at the bottom so the app reads aloud to you. Whether you’re doing the dishes, on your commute, in the drop off line, waiting for your grocery pick up, in the shower, or folding laundry, you can choose to listen to God’s Word for a time instead of automatically putting on a show, song or a podcast.

Choose the Word. Choose to put God’s relationship first. Choose to take the time to invest in your relationship with him. 

Erika shares three more crucial ways to pursue a closer relationship with the Lord. Make sure you check out the episode below!

Sister, Feeling close to God is possible. It is within your reach. It is something that is possible for YOU! 

The HRS team is praying for you and your relationship with God. Keep Walking toward His light. 

Love, 

Mary

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Listen to episode 17: 3 Steps To Being Closer To God… Diving into Matthew 6:25-33 to find out more. She will read Matthew 6:25-33, pray for you, and sing an amazing song to you about our Jehovah Jireh.