cashmoneykatelyn asked a question:
Lately I’ve been feeling like God is so far from me. I know he says he’s just a breath away, but it never feels that way. I fear that for the rest of my life I’ll feel like this. I question if I even love God like I thought and that’s why I have problems.
Hey my friend, I’ve said before that the Big Christian Secret is we all run into doubts, frustrations, confusion, and questions.
I believe the church culture has inadvertently made a rock-show environment that induces hype every Sunday, so that each service must top last week until we get exhausted and crash. Then when those feelings are gone, we assume God is gone, and that maybe we’ve done something wrong. You haven’t.
We sometimes falsely pressure ourselves into a mountaintop experience everyday, but every person in the Bible also fell into valleys and deserts, and this is exactly where God does His best work.
But whether or not you’ve been attending a flashy church like this (and those are okay, too), we still run into dry spells and distant seasons. We’re human. Faith is naturally a hard thing. Some days are Romans 7, some Romans 8. I’m naturally a doubtful person, and I’ve come to accept that I’ll limp to the finish-line like Moses; I’m more Peter than Paul.
Please don’t be too hard on yourself about that. You can still go to God no matter how far you feel, and He won’t bite your head off. You can go to near to Him even to say, “I feel so far,” and this is where you’ll find His total grace and acceptance, because He will receive you there too. A father is more of a father to his child who needs help, and how much more God is a Father to His children when they feel lost and wander. Cherish the mountaintop and grow in the valleys, my dear friend.
— J.S.
My book on taboo topics in the church here.
My new book on love, sex, and dating here.
My new e-book on breaking porn addiction here.
J.S. Park: Hospital Chaplain 
Been in those shoes, yes, thank you!
LikeLike
It is an incomplete example, but I don’t have to have a tingly feeling every waking moment to know I love my wife more than words can tell. Even when we are apart we are still together. Part of it is simple experience – we know we love each other. The evidence that God loves us is everywhere, and it is worth looking for! It is not God who points a finger and says, “haha, you feel far away, I’ll bet you know it’s all your fault, haha.” No, the devil revels in taunting us. Feelings may be nice, but God’s love far exceeds feelings all the way to “closer than the closest relative”. Of course, you’re right JS, we can’t/don’t ride a high all the time – the adrenalin burn would fry our brains!
Peace
LikeLike
Yes, I remember reading that the “tingly feeling” is often just the ego-boost of knowing this other person likes you, so it’s often self-centered before it moves into settled love. Or another way, it’s the difference between a rapid river and a deep ocean. One rushes, the other has depth, and we sort of need both.
LikeLiked by 1 person
this spoke to my heart too as my desert has been long, but I am going to trust. Thank you for this insight and wisdom. Love you and Jesus loves you amen. Pray for my children too please and my husband.
LikeLike
Praying. We naturally fall into these patterns because we’re human. Please don’t beat yourself up! Grace is for you, too.
LikeLike