Why Does God Feel Far?

In the midst of our busiest seasons, when the demands of life seem to pile up without mercy, it's easy to feel bogged down and overwhelmed. Our schedules overflow, and we begin to compromise on the things that normally anchor us—exercise, healthy eating, quality time with loved ones, and perhaps most significantly, our relationship with God. It's ironic, isn't it? The very moments when we most need the comfort and stability of God's presence are often the times when we feel the most distant from Him.

Over the past week, I’ve found myself in such a season, one where my attempts to connect with God felt futile. My prayers seemed to bounce off the ceiling, my quiet times were marked by silence, and I began to feel like I was talking to a brick wall. If you’ve ever been there, you know how disheartening this can be. When God feels far away, it’s easy to wonder if He’s ignoring us or if He’s given up on us altogether. But deep down, we know that’s not true. God’s promises remind us that He never leaves our side, even when we can’t feel His presence.

In moments like these, I’ve found myself asking, “How desperate am I willing to get in order to encounter the presence of God?” When we are truly desperate, we’ll go to lengths we wouldn’t normally consider. We’ll step out of our comfort zones, abandon our routines, and seek God with a renewed fervor. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This verse is both a promise and a challenge. It reminds us that finding God isn’t about a half-hearted effort; it requires all of our heart, all of our attention, and all of our desperation.

I’m reminded of the game Hide and Go Seek, which most of us played as children. In the game, there’s a seeker and those who are hiding. As the seeker, you learn quickly that finding those in hiding requires more than just looking—it demands listening. You become still, you quiet your breathing, and you listen intently for any small sound, any slight movement. In those moments, you’re fully present, fully engaged in the act of seeking. I believe this is what God desires from us—not because He’s hiding from us, but because He wants us to seek Him out with our whole heart. Sometimes, God speaks loudly and clearly, almost as if He’s shouting what He wants us to hear. But other times, He speaks in a whisper, so softly that if we’re not paying close attention, we’ll miss it.

This idea of God speaking in a whisper reminds me of 1 Kings 19:11-13, where Elijah encounters God on the mountain. The Lord tells Elijah to stand outside, for He is about to pass by. First comes a powerful wind that tears the mountains apart, but God is not in the wind. Then an earthquake shakes the ground, but God is not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, a fire blazes through, but God is not in the fire. Finally, after the fire, there is a gentle whisper, and that is where Elijah hears the voice of God. We often expect God to show up in grand, unmistakable ways—in the winds, the earthquakes, the fires of our lives. But more often than not, He comes in a whisper. And if we’re not careful, we’ll miss Him.

God doesn’t hide from us to be elusive; He waits for us to come to a place of stillness, where we can hear His gentle voice. In our busyness, we’re often so caught up in the noise of life that we overlook the whispers of God. We expect Him to break through in a dramatic way, but He often chooses to speak in the quietest moments. I was reminded of this just recently during a worship session with our staff. I had been feeling distant from God, desperate to hear from Him. As I worshiped, I found myself begging God to speak to me, to give me something—anything—to hold on to. And then, in the midst of my desperation, I heard it: a soft whisper saying, “I am delighted in you.” Those four words wrecked me. In that moment, God reminded me of a simple truth that I had forgotten—He delights in me, not because of what I do, but because of who I am in Him.

How often do we forget that? How often do we fall into the trap of thinking that we have to perform or achieve something in order to earn God’s love or His approval? But the truth is, God’s delight in us isn’t conditional. It’s not based on our accomplishments or our spiritual performance. It’s rooted in His unchanging love for us. And in the moments when He feels far away, that’s the truth we need to hold on to. God is El Roi, the God who sees. He is Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is near. Even when we feel distant, even when the silence seems deafening, God is with us.

But this doesn’t mean we don’t have a part to play. God invites us to seek Him, to listen for His voice, to draw near to Him even when He seems far. Sometimes, I think God allows us to feel this distance to draw us into deeper dependence on Him. We might believe we’re fully reliant on God, but then He reveals another area in our lives where we’re still holding back, still trying to maintain control. It’s like going to the dentist after too long—plaque has built up, and the dentist has to scrape it away to reveal the underlying issue. In the same way, when we neglect our time with God, it can take time for Him to scrape away the spiritual plaque that’s built up, to reveal the deeper issues we need to address.

So, what is God teaching you in this season? Is there an area in your life where He’s calling you to deeper dependence on Him? And how can you be more intentional about listening for His voice?

One of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of our relationship with God is the pursuit. It’s in the seeking, in the moments of desperation, that we often encounter God most powerfully. When we stop striving and start listening, when we quiet our hearts and open our ears to His whispers, we find that God isn’t as far away as we thought. He’s been there all along, waiting for us to draw near.

So, why does God feel far? Perhaps it’s not that He’s distant, but that we’ve become too distracted, too busy, too self-reliant to hear His voice. Perhaps He’s waiting for us to come to Him with the same intensity, the same focus, the same desperation that a seeker brings to the game of Hide and Go Seek. And when we do, we’ll find that He’s not hiding at all. He’s right there, ready to whisper to our hearts, “I am with you. I am delighted in you. I am here.”