God, Why Are You Far from Me?

When you are experiencing a “dry” season in your spirit, a time of feeling isolated and forsaken, questions will undoubtedly arise. “Father, why do you feel so far from me? Have I sinned once too often? Are you angry with me? Do you still love me?” During these difficult times you don’t feel like reading the Word or praying or praising him. And God feels ever more distant.

All true believers experience such times in their Christian walk — even Jesus felt isolation and cried out, “Father, why have You forsaken Me?” when he was on the cross (see Matthew 27:46).

It is possible to sense God’s overwhelming love in your driest hours, but that is not enough. There must be the nearness of the Lord — and the joy of hearing that still, small voice. The heart must feel his warmth; the presence of the Lord must fill the room; his joy must rush through all the corridors of your mind. The heart must know that he has come to guide, to comfort, to help in the hour of need. There must be no doubt — no question — that God has chosen to come and commune with you.

What can you do to overcome spiritual dryness? First, maintain a life of prayer! Too often you try everything but prayer, right? Talking with friends, reading books, seeking out counseling — looking everywhere for a word of comfort or advice. And none of those things is wrong, by the way. But nothing dispels dryness and emptiness more quickly than an hour or two shut in with God! “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Second, do not be afraid of a little suffering; after all, Christ’s resurrection was preceded by a short period of suffering. But we do not want to suffer or be hurt. We want painless deliverance through supernatural intervention. Be prepared, though, because victory does not always come without pain. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Choose to seek him and walk out of your testing time in victory through his Word!