God's presence

Isaiah 40:27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
These people wanted to know why God was not around.
In the rest of the chapter He explains He is there and will give them strength if they will wait upon Him.
These people who are going through dry seasons have lost there focus on God.
When you start really looking for God you will see Him everywhere.
When something good happens to you, no matter how small it is, acknowledge that it is God and not just a coincidence. Be grateful to God for everything and it wont be long until those blessings start flowing.

knw1991 said:

You mentioned that the people were going through dry seasons, a season implies a temporary time period but I'm talking about when God is always absentt, meaning thats all you knkw if him is being absent

Click to expand...

Slightly different problem, same solution.
Start acknowledging God in every good thing.
Two rules I learned long ago.
Rule 1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Rule 2. See everything as small stuff.
Application, never exalt you problem, exalt your God.
Psalms 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

knw1991 said:

You mentioned that the people were going through dry seasons, a season implies a temporary time period but I'm talking about when God is always absentt, meaning thats all you knkw if him is being absent

Click to expand...

Have you actually been diagnosed with OCD? I have had it nearly all my life, and I experience the same thing as you. God has always been important to me, even from childhood. However, I do not experience Him either, nor do I FEEL any love toward Him. I truly desire this, but it has not come. My therapist has told me that OCD will attach itself to the things we love and that are important in life, and make us feel guilty and miserable about them. I often feel as if I'm not even a Christian because of these issues. However, my doctor further reiterates that if they did not bother me, then I would not even be concerned about them. The fact that I am concerned is an indication that I do somehow love Him. I should add that I only read my Bible and pray sporadically as OCD rituals and lack of concentration interfere with these disciplines.

I don't know if this helps, but I can relate to what you are going through.

Kathy

fashionista1 said:

Have you actually been diagnosed with OCD? I have had it nearly all my life, and I experience the same thing as you. God has always been important to me, even from childhood. However, I do not experience Him either, nor do I FEEL any love toward Him. I truly desire this, but it has not come. My therapist has told me that OCD will attach itself to the things we love and that are important in life, and make us feel guilty and miserable about them. I often feel as if I'm not even a Christian because of these issues. However, my doctor further reiterates that if they did not bother me, then I would not even be concerned about them. The fact that I am concerned is an indication that I do somehow love Him. I should add that I only read my Bible and pray sporadically as OCD rituals and lack of concentration interfere with these disciplines.

I don't know if this helps, but I can relate to what you are going through.

Kathy

Click to expand...

Hi; for the believer's peace of mind, John 14.1-27 is a great passage.

fashionista1 said:

Have you actually been diagnosed with OCD? I have had it nearly all my life, and I experience the same thing as you. God has always been important to me, even from childhood. However, I do not experience Him either, nor do I FEEL any love toward Him. I truly desire this, but it has not come. My therapist has told me that OCD will attach itself to the things we love and that are important in life, and make us feel guilty and miserable about them. I often feel as if I'm not even a Christian because of these issues. However, my doctor further reiterates that if they did not bother me, then I would not even be concerned about them. The fact that I am concerned is an indication that I do somehow love Him. I should add that I only read my Bible and pray sporadically as OCD rituals and lack of concentration interfere with these disciplines.

I don't know if this helps, but I can relate to what you are going through.

Kathy

Click to expand...

I have felt the same at times, but somehow I cannot walk away. I'm sure I'm a lot older than you and "with age comes wisdom". As a result of this, and different Bible studies I have attended over the years, I've come to the conclusion that God does not owe me a good life or anything for that matter. He has given me everything in securing my salvation (even though sometimes, in my darker OCD moments, I question whether or not I'm saved). Of course, I wish I did not have to face various trials and temptations, but I know we live in a broken world and God did not promise a life free of struggles. Please try and hang in there. He does love you.

knw1991 said:

there are many christians who talk about having seasons of not experiencing God, which implies that there are times when God did feel close to them. many christians speak of how God was near to them before and then they went through a wilderness experience. im not discrediting their pain, but what about people who have absoultely never eperienced God being near to them?
that is my story. ever since i came to God for salvation, life went downhill, with doubts, depression, hopelessness. ive never experience the love, comfort, or presence of God, which makes me question if he was ever really with me. ive asked multiple times to be saved, i prayed for a saving faith, i prayed for hte Holy Spirit to convict me of my sinful nature and show me my need for Jesus as Savior, so that i would truly be sincere in coming to Christ.
i dont know whats wrong. but i know many christians talk about dry seasons, or walking through the valley, and they encourage others to be strong because they will once expeirence God again. but what if you have NEVER experienced God? what is God doing in my life and the lives of others that he has always been hidden from? Does he love those people? why is he acting that way?

Click to expand...

Hello I thought I might weigh in on this (if you don’t mind). I went through a period of great doubt as well and where I felt that was losing my faith and salvation. It was debilitating, I couldn’t eat, sleep, I was miserable. I prayed every night that God would take the thoughts and feelings away. But it wouldn’t happen. Not over night. I got into the Bible, got into apologetics, talked and connected with my church family and got a Christian counselor. And overtime I became better. I don’t know how but I knew that God would make it better and he did. Keep holding onto him he will surprise you and I hope he richly blesses you.
As for your feelings, what does it mean to you to feel close to God? To me it was a feeling of assurance that I was saved and that I did not have to worry because God would take care of me. Basically it was hope, and I felt that I had lost that. But God gave it back to me in spades. No one ever defines faith as a feeling, feelings come and go in fact OCD is not (to me anyway) a logical disorder but an emotional one. As for troubles you went through in your life, hold to hope because God may be ready to bless you at any moment. And remember the Christian is filled with many troubles just look at our blessed LORD he went through a painful and humiliating death, but in the end God was still with him.
The love of God is a glorious and enigmatic thing. It comes in unexpected ways. Again, I ask you to hold on, pray to the father, seek guidance from other Christian, and enjoy the life that God has given you so that you may live to the full no matter what you do.

I would say you are probably on your way to having an encounter with the Lord. I went through some really hard things in my life, just before the Lord revealed Himself to me.
Sometimes it’s taking stuff away, and Him allowing us to go through things before we
start seeking and being solely dependent on Him. I would say start praising. Find some good Christian worship music and constantly start singing praises. No matter how hard the circumstances may be. Because “God INHABITS the praises of His people.” I believe worship ushers in His presence. Also just realizing... you are not forgotten. The Lord loves you. The fact that you are wanting more of Him, is Him drawing you even now. No one comes to Him, except by Him calling, and by His grace. Do you understand? He wants you.
So start praising and keep seeking Him.
“Those who seek the Lord shall lack no good thing.”

And I pray in Jesus Name, to the Father for you now, that the Lord would just encounter you. That He would make His face to shine upon you, and that you would KNOW the love that surpasses ALL understanding, so you could be filled to the fullness of God. In Jesus’ mighty name!