I feel so far from God right now. I don't know why. I have prayed and asked God to help me find the point at which I left the path He had planned for me, but can still not figure out what is going on. I just don't understand why I feel so far from Him. I miss Him. I feel kinda empty right now. Any thoughts?
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I don't understand this...
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allieisme
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Are you going to church and reading your Bible daily? Maybe you are not far from God, but you've up a level, and you need Him more now. Are you talking to Him more, reading the Word more, just surround yourself with Him
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i felt for a time God left me..or i thought i was lost...but God is there..i know God can test us..and withdraw..as so to think He is not there..but we shouldnt go on feelings..just trust God and what He said..He will never leave you nor forsake you
I pray God will lead you and reveal Himself and guide you..in Jesus name amen
I pray God will lead you and reveal Himself and guide you..in Jesus name amen
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homewardbound
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You can add me to the list of people who feel this way from time to time. I really haven't put my finger on what causes it, although one definite reason is due to less frequent prayer and/or reading of the bible. I wonder sometimes if we perhaps have a regular cycle where we get close to God, then begin to "relax" a bit in His love, and forget that we need to feed our relationship.
I also think I sometimes forget that there are two sides to the spiritual battle. I'm sure my closeness to God infuriates Satan, and he'll do anything to impede my fellowship with God.
How about if we all agree to pray for each other and truly focus on the word "relationship". That's what He longs for.
I also think I sometimes forget that there are two sides to the spiritual battle. I'm sure my closeness to God infuriates Satan, and he'll do anything to impede my fellowship with God.
How about if we all agree to pray for each other and truly focus on the word "relationship". That's what He longs for.
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Greetings needhislove , and all ,
Typically for a relatively young believer in Jesus , it's a case of being a spiritual " yo yo " that leads to a diminished sense of The Lord's presence .
Here's basically how it occurs -
1. Through being brought low we realize our need for Divine Assistance , and call upon Jesus .
2. Then we are uplifted , by The Lord strengthening us .
3. Which , if we don't watch and give all the glory , credit , and praise , to The Lord , remembering well , how unworthy we are , and how merciful and gracious the Lord has been unto us ; the truth is obscured by things such as vanity , pride , and fear of man .
4. This causes a breach in the spiritual loop , between us and God ; and consequently our ability to appreciate His Presence is diminished .
5. And that leads to our being brought low again , where we are humbled by our own inabilities to face the world on our own ; wherefore , we call again upon Jesus , and are uplifted , by the Lord strengthening us .
This cycle will repeat , until we learn , to be thankful without being forgetful , highminded , or fearful ; so that our witness is plainly in keeping with the truth of Christ , how that it is Jesus in us that makes all the difference , and that we , of ourselves , are no better than , any other sinner , in need of Salvation .
The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. <-----> Psalm 116:6
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. <-----> 1st Timothy 3:6
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. <-----> Proverbs 29:23
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. <-----> 2nd Corinthians 4:15
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. <-----> 2nd Corinthians 5:14+15
May The Lord Be Pleased To Bless .
wm
Typically for a relatively young believer in Jesus , it's a case of being a spiritual " yo yo " that leads to a diminished sense of The Lord's presence .
Here's basically how it occurs -
1. Through being brought low we realize our need for Divine Assistance , and call upon Jesus .
2. Then we are uplifted , by The Lord strengthening us .
3. Which , if we don't watch and give all the glory , credit , and praise , to The Lord , remembering well , how unworthy we are , and how merciful and gracious the Lord has been unto us ; the truth is obscured by things such as vanity , pride , and fear of man .
4. This causes a breach in the spiritual loop , between us and God ; and consequently our ability to appreciate His Presence is diminished .
5. And that leads to our being brought low again , where we are humbled by our own inabilities to face the world on our own ; wherefore , we call again upon Jesus , and are uplifted , by the Lord strengthening us .
This cycle will repeat , until we learn , to be thankful without being forgetful , highminded , or fearful ; so that our witness is plainly in keeping with the truth of Christ , how that it is Jesus in us that makes all the difference , and that we , of ourselves , are no better than , any other sinner , in need of Salvation .
The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. <-----> Psalm 116:6
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. <-----> 1st Timothy 3:6
A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. <-----> Proverbs 29:23
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. <-----> 2nd Corinthians 4:15
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. <-----> 2nd Corinthians 5:14+15
May The Lord Be Pleased To Bless .
wm
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Thank you all for your replies. I will pray for all of you who are in the same situation. I appreciate all of the advice, but personally hope Allieisme is the most correct. Tee hee.
God bless,
Toni
God bless,
Toni
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In my humble opinion, I believe we feel distant from God for one of three reasons. Either we, ourselves, have turned away from Him to a life of sin and rebellion, or we are in a place of stagnation where we are not growing in Him, or God has left us in order to teach us how to find Him. If you never lost anything you wouldn't know how to find anything. Just my thoughts...
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Our relationship with God does not depend on our feeling Him with us. There are times when we just know His presence with us. Great. But, many times we do not feel anything. He is still there, Just as with your natural family you can be with them enjoying their presence. But when you leave to go out you are not any less part of your family.
I have learned that God answers my prayers and is there for me in many ways both when I sense He is and when I don't. We need to understand that God is comitted to us. Look at Romans 8, where Paul asks three questions "What can sperate us from the love of God etc?"
John
NZ
I have learned that God answers my prayers and is there for me in many ways both when I sense He is and when I don't. We need to understand that God is comitted to us. Look at Romans 8, where Paul asks three questions "What can sperate us from the love of God etc?"
John
NZ
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LegomasterJC
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That mention of being stagnant I think is the most common with us. And when we are like that, God wants to spit us out of his mouth. It may not seem like what you do every day is anything bad but as I have learned, watching TV, looking at stuff on the Internet about upcoming videogames and the like, playing videogames, being focused on work, school, play... All of this really takes away from being able to hear God. If you start to get really Bad, God my get your attention to turn you around. It is better to focus on him and stay the course before you turn all the way around though. More focus on God, spending time in the word, worshiping always, praying always... You can not do this when you are distracted with other things.
*reads over own post*
Bam! Wow! another post of mine that I should apply to my life more and more. I think that is the fourth in the short time I have been on these forums.
Hope the message applies to more than just me.
*reads over own post*
Bam! Wow! another post of mine that I should apply to my life more and more. I think that is the fourth in the short time I have been on these forums.
Hope the message applies to more than just me.
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I'll agree with allieisme's reply too. Pls do not go by your feelings of emptyness. When God wants to deal with us in a matured way. He will treat us this way so that we do not trust in our feelings but learn to trust Him only. Hope this encourages you.
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KleinerApfel
When I awake I am still with You
First let me say: God will NEVER leave you.
It sometimes feels that way, and I know that because it happens to me, a lot.
BUT Vinc is right - when did faith depend on feelings?
Sometimes I think He lets us feel alone, to test our desire for Him. To see how we will continue to pray when we don't get the reassurance. Why? I don't know!
But truly He is still there, and still loves and protects us.
I experience this at times, and am in fact just coming out of it at the moment.
It is such a relief when you find yourself lifted out of the depths, and it has come quite out of the blue - I can't say: "I did this, and then I felt better."
No - it's all HIS work and HIS timing.
I understand the hollow emptiness and the longing, and even the desire to give up and just hide.
I don't know whether you can speed up the process, or whether you just have to "keep on keeping on."
But God is faithful, and at the right time he will do it.
One thing which I think is relevant to the process is remaining open, yielding, surrendering, saying "OK Lord, I don't like it, but You're in charge and I trust you. Do with me what You need to do."
Let God know how you feel, - don't be tempted to shut down, don't withdraw, don't quietly resent the discipline, don't despair. Keep questioning.
I still don't know why it happens, but many, many of us know it does.
Take courage, He loves you and He will give you grace.
I hope all of you who are in the thick of it find relief soon.
God bless, Susana, a fellow struggler in the wilderness.
It sometimes feels that way, and I know that because it happens to me, a lot.
BUT Vinc is right - when did faith depend on feelings?
Sometimes I think He lets us feel alone, to test our desire for Him. To see how we will continue to pray when we don't get the reassurance. Why? I don't know!
But truly He is still there, and still loves and protects us.
I experience this at times, and am in fact just coming out of it at the moment.
It is such a relief when you find yourself lifted out of the depths, and it has come quite out of the blue - I can't say: "I did this, and then I felt better."
No - it's all HIS work and HIS timing.
I understand the hollow emptiness and the longing, and even the desire to give up and just hide.
I don't know whether you can speed up the process, or whether you just have to "keep on keeping on."
But God is faithful, and at the right time he will do it.
One thing which I think is relevant to the process is remaining open, yielding, surrendering, saying "OK Lord, I don't like it, but You're in charge and I trust you. Do with me what You need to do."
Let God know how you feel, - don't be tempted to shut down, don't withdraw, don't quietly resent the discipline, don't despair. Keep questioning.
I still don't know why it happens, but many, many of us know it does.
Take courage, He loves you and He will give you grace.
I hope all of you who are in the thick of it find relief soon.
God bless, Susana, a fellow struggler in the wilderness.
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LegomasterJC
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Look forward to the time when you actually do like having Him in control instead of yourself. It is easier to be happy then.
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Rafael
Only time enough for love
Sometimes we have to put our faith into action, as we have sat and learned long enough and are now required to do some of the works God has called us into. We make a plan, and God will direct out steps, but we have to make a plan to be like Jesus in some way and use the gifts He has given, severally, to each one of us. There are many charitable things we could be doing and building up treasures in heaven. The Lord said that when we minister or help one of the least of people, we have done it to Him.
I always feel better and more fulfilled about myself when I go see about the needs of others.
Jeremiah 22:16 He defended the cause of the POOR & NEEDY, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to KNOW me! declares the Lord.
JAMES 2:1-4-19 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is DEAD. But someone will say. "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I Do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.
I JOHN 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children let us not love in words or tongue but with ACTIONS and truth.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
EPHESIANS 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to DO GOOD WORKS, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
MATT. 25:31-45 When the Son of Man comes in his glory....He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.....Then he will say to those on his left,'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels. For I was hungry & YOU gave ME nothing to eat, I was thirsty & YOU gave ME nothing to drink, I was a stranger & YOU did not invite ME in, I needed clothes and YOU did not clothe ME, I was sick and in prison, and YOU did not look after ME.". "Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
I always feel better and more fulfilled about myself when I go see about the needs of others.
Jeremiah 22:16 He defended the cause of the POOR & NEEDY, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to KNOW me! declares the Lord.
JAMES 2:1-4-19 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is DEAD. But someone will say. "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I Do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.
I JOHN 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children let us not love in words or tongue but with ACTIONS and truth.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
EPHESIANS 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to DO GOOD WORKS, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
MATT. 25:31-45 When the Son of Man comes in his glory....He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.....Then he will say to those on his left,'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels. For I was hungry & YOU gave ME nothing to eat, I was thirsty & YOU gave ME nothing to drink, I was a stranger & YOU did not invite ME in, I needed clothes and YOU did not clothe ME, I was sick and in prison, and YOU did not look after ME.". "Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."
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KleinerApfel
When I awake I am still with You
I agree in principle raphe,
and certainly it helps to weather these times if you serve others. BUT it's not the whole answer.
I've sat in church many, many times, asking God for someone to notice that I've been crying, to offer to pray for me, but what happens instead?
I see someone who needs a kind word from me, and for that moment my suffering IS relieved because I'm occupied in a selfless way.
However, it still means that I'll have to face the original pain an hour later, or later that week, at home, with no further Christian contact for days.
That's when you can wonder how on earth you're going to love just one more person with the little bit of dried-up self that seems to be all that's left.
The amazing thing is though, it seems to work. Maybe on the same principle as the boy who gave his lunch to the disciples so Jesus could multiply it:
I offer a teensy bit of my meagre resources, (meanwhile telling Him it's hopeless!), and He does something useful with it. God is good.
Sometimes it seems like half my church is afflicted at the same time, and the prayer ministry is carried out by the "walking wounded" among each other!
Still, at least it's a GREAT testimony to the power of God - it HAS to be Him and Him only that is working in us, because it can be seen plainly that we're all straggling along in quiet desperation, until the one suffering most noticeably manages to elicit a response from the rest of us and gets prayed for!
So yes, pray for others, offer kindness and encouragement, go and make soup or visit the elderly, because we're told to do these things, but quite honestly, it might or might not "work" when we're feeling dead but we do it anyway.
So yes, hang in there those of you who struggle, and keep going according to his word. When the time is right, he will deal with your feeelings, but sometimes it does take time.
God bless, Susana
and certainly it helps to weather these times if you serve others. BUT it's not the whole answer.
I've sat in church many, many times, asking God for someone to notice that I've been crying, to offer to pray for me, but what happens instead?
I see someone who needs a kind word from me, and for that moment my suffering IS relieved because I'm occupied in a selfless way.
However, it still means that I'll have to face the original pain an hour later, or later that week, at home, with no further Christian contact for days.
That's when you can wonder how on earth you're going to love just one more person with the little bit of dried-up self that seems to be all that's left.
The amazing thing is though, it seems to work. Maybe on the same principle as the boy who gave his lunch to the disciples so Jesus could multiply it:
I offer a teensy bit of my meagre resources, (meanwhile telling Him it's hopeless!), and He does something useful with it. God is good.
Sometimes it seems like half my church is afflicted at the same time, and the prayer ministry is carried out by the "walking wounded" among each other!
Still, at least it's a GREAT testimony to the power of God - it HAS to be Him and Him only that is working in us, because it can be seen plainly that we're all straggling along in quiet desperation, until the one suffering most noticeably manages to elicit a response from the rest of us and gets prayed for!
So yes, pray for others, offer kindness and encouragement, go and make soup or visit the elderly, because we're told to do these things, but quite honestly, it might or might not "work" when we're feeling dead but we do it anyway.
So yes, hang in there those of you who struggle, and keep going according to his word. When the time is right, he will deal with your feeelings, but sometimes it does take time.
God bless, Susana
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