First: this is not unusual. Second: what is ‘far’ and how do you define the word? Third:…when and how did it begin? Fourth: ‘feeling’? Whether you define this time as dessert or confusion, I believe we all experience those times when we don’t ‘sense’ the Lord’s presence in our lives. Regardless… He really is there, He hasn’t moved. He told us He would be with us, and He never goes back on His word. (Hebrews 13:5, Numbers 23:19)
The issue is – as much as you need to know your how, when, what of the state you’re in, the main point is to remove yourself and find the place that you are at peace. Not always easy. One time when I was in this place and felt totally frustrated, a wise friend said – why not go back to the time that you knew, confidently, that you were in right relationship and see if there was something you did/didn’t do that led you to where you are now. Actually, that’s excellent advice.
For any number of reasons, it really is we who have gotten off our path. However, it is unnecessary to compound the problem. ‘Stop!’ seems to be the best approach, though it seems that in the midst of crisis or other negative situation, this is the one thing most of us don’t do. Leaving logic aside, stopping seems counter-intuitive. Doing Something is our ‘fix it’ mindset.
However, when it is an issue of relationship… we really do need to discover not only what has happened… and why… but also what we need to do to restore relationship. I would argue that our single most important consideration should always be our relationship with the Lord – this is where our strength, our joy stems from.
Do we truly not know what we are feeling apart from Him? Among other scriptures, reread: 1 Peter 5:10, Jeremiah 29:11, Galatians 6:1, Jeremiah 17:14, i John 5:4, Mark 11:24. However, in my thinking, the most important is: Matthew 6:33. We have to be the ones to take the step since the Lord has done everything for us. He would never walk away from us, period. So we need to go to Him to seek restoration/reconciliation.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,
that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,…” (Acts 3:19)
