Feeling Lost and Far from God
Being lost is already a terrible experience, add the fact that you have no direction to follow, and your thoughts of helplessness creep in; it can be terrifying. Often times we may feel lost and helpless even when we have God on our side and we’re surrounded by people we know and love. I recall a moment when I felt this way - I was sitting in my quiet kitchen, surrounded by the stillness of the morning, yet my mind was racing with doubts and fears, feeling disconnected from God's presence. As I sat there, I began to think about all the times I had felt lost before, and how God had always guided me through those difficult moments, reminding me that His presence is not dependent on my emotions. For instance, I remember a particularly tough winter when a severe storm had knocked out the power, and I was left to navigate the darkness, but in that moment, I found comfort in the words of Psalm 23, and the reminder that God is always with me, even in the darkest of times.
There may be times when God feels distant and you are desperate to know he’s still there, still caring for you. You pray and even then, you feel like your prayers aren’t being heard. When this happens, know that you are not in any way abnormal. Spiritual gloom is very common. While some may experience weak or detached from the things of God, others’ experiences may be different. Some may feel bored and distracted from their faith or discouraged to even seek God’s affection. Day after day we continue to feel disturbed about our desire to be close to God and the feelings of disconnect we have. It almost feels like the solution should be simple and yet we can’t seem to find one. What’s important to remember is to not surrender to the feelings of spiritual darkness.
There’s no doubt that feeling lost and far from God is discouraging to say the least. However, if you dig deep into your heart you may find an answer. We may find that we’re going through life thinking or feeling that we’re always doing what seems right but if we really think maybe something along the way wasn’t right. For instance, I once found myself in a hospital waiting room, anxiously waiting for news about a loved one, and in that moment of uncertainty, I felt God's presence in the kindness of a stranger who offered a listening ear. I also think about the times I've taken a walk in nature, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, and sensing God's peace in the stillness of the natural world. We need to rely on truth, not feelings. Read the Bible, it is the one instrument you can rely on to keep you on track. Pray to God so he may fill you with peace and comfort when you’re feeling distant. If you think you have tried everything and you still feel lost and distant from God, consider that maybe you’re over thinking, maybe you don’t need to change anything to fix your feelings. You may just need to stop overthinking and just let God flow through you, let him guide you in the direction you need to go.
Always remind yourself that the way you feel is not necessarily a disappointment to God. The best of Christians have experienced what you are experiencing and yet, God still let us wake up another day and gave us what we need to survive. God cares for you, he knows you are doing your best. He is compassionate beyond belief and will always provide exactly what we need when we need it. Just be open to receive his love and go to him confident that he will reward you with eternal life.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. -
