When God Gets Lost

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I know this probably isn’t the most perfectly “spiritual” question to ask, but does God ever seem lost to you?

When you need Him most, does that ever become the time that He seems the furthest away?

For me, sometimes it seems as if I think I’m doing everything right. (as if I could earn His company)

I’m going to church, I’m serving Him with everything that I have, I’m spending my daily time with Him, but I cant seem to find Him.
He seems to be lost in the shuffle. Or better yet, I seem to be lost in the shuffle.

It’s times like these where I feel like I need Him most.

Not because anything particular is going on, but because I’m desperate. I feel like I’m doing life on my own and I know that’s not possible.

Possibly, that’s why these times come up…. So that I’ll seek Him further than I do everyday.

So, I’m asking for advice… I’m certain I’m not the only one that needs it…

What do you do when you feel like you’re doing everything you know but He still seems to be missing?
(practical advice please)


Comments

19 responses to “When God Gets Lost”

  1. I would then have to assess my own life and see if anything there is not right with God.

    1. Very true. Thanks Brandon.

  2. That happens to me a lot. I think that, at least in my case, I am doing too much. I think there are definitely points in my walk where God wanted me to take a break and just rest in Him. Jesus routinely took breaks and went off to just be alone with the Father. Rest is even one of the Ten Commandments. I don’t think our society respects rest at all. We look at those who ask for breaks as weak. So we run around and get flustered. Try taking a break for a while. Take a weekend off and unplug the phone. Do something that will help you rest and focus on God alone. That might help.

    1. I think that’s my case many times as well. Thanks, Chris.

  3. Sean Avatar
    Sean

    If faith is confidence in things not seen (perceived), then the moment I feel furthest from God is exactly the moment that requires faith from me. If I am not feeling that (which definitely happens regularly), then I look up to the reminders of God’s goodness and faithfulness – nature, his blessings in the past, which often happened or came when I didn’t expect them and was unaware of God’s working – and then try to count my own feelings and expectations as loss for the sake of knowing Christ. I try to do what Paul is suggesting in Phil 3, leading to “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

    1. Great point. Thanks Sean!

  4. James Avatar
    James

    I totally understand, it’s the way I’m feeling now. But whenever I do feel that way, I just keep plugging along. It’s all I know to do. Keep praying, keep seeking, keep listening. There have been times that I’ve turned from God and it just made things worse. Now, I just keep on doing it until I do feel His presence. And it’s then that I feel closer than ever before.

  5. I start by serving others. God usually seems most distant when my strongest focus is myself.

  6. For me its getting alone and as still (emotions, thoughts, schemes) as possible. I take a “walk and stomp” to clear my head…I try to worship Him on this walk…slowly I unwind and find Him right there…where He’s been all along.

    “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Psalm 73:28

  7. Jon,
    You are a blessing. When I feel lonely for God, it’s usually because I’ve stepped away and He’s call me to Himself. I’m not sure if this is practical enough, I hope it helps and I will pray.

    Come away…
    I’m pulled and drawn,
    beckoned to a garden in my mind.
    As I walk the smells of fresh spring grass
    and flowers fill the air and brush soft against my feet.
    The ground is cool and airy and I remove my shoes.
    The sun shines down warming my face,
    as if it’s heat is focused on me alone.
    I close my eyes and raise my face toward the warmth.
    I feel safe.
    I feel God’s favor.
    Music is carried on the wind,
    the sound of harp, mandolin and bass,
    then flute and drums join in.
    I move and dance freely to the melody.
    I’m not held by gravity and I float,
    carried like a child into her fathers arms.
    I am free.
    The freedom carries me.
    My long cotton flowing gown moves to the music,
    white lace is blown in the breeze.
    I enjoy each breath.
    Caressed by the air,
    inside my lungs,
    and against my skin.
    Tears stream down with the thought that this will end.
    Finally, so full of experiencing the presence of the Lord,
    to taste the sweet breath of his fragrance,
    to smell and touch and hear His love,
    to know His favor and delight in His ways.
    His focused attention, only for me,
    completely present,
    nothing withheld
    no separation,
    love unfettered
    set free to express and receive.
    Fullness of joy defined.
    Shalom…
    A song a dance, a breath, colors, light,
    heat, lifting, carrying, safety, embracing, love.
    God.
    My meaning in life.
    My souls artist delighting in me,
    His work of art.
    My life displaying the indentations of His finger prints.
    Reflecting His pleasure in my smile,
    expressing His sadness with my tears.
    Announcing His rhythm with my dance
    and reflecting His glory in my countenance.
    It was the answered prayer:
    “Father may they be One with us as we are One”
    no sin or sad shadows reside
    or dare enter the melody of our meeting.
    Even as I rejoice over our togetherness
    I realize my souls lover has been waiting so long
    for me to come.
    He has beckoned me often
    but I have insisted “important things must be done”.
    How foolish I have been.
    Yet there is no condemnation here.
    Only an invitation to return often,
    as often as I can.
    I feel nothing in that moment could tear me away,
    yet somehow I know even now,
    there is something else that “should” be done.
    “No!” My heart insists to myself,
    I want to be here.
    Even more than food, more than sleep,
    more than people who need me,
    more than things I should do.
    I think it’s time to let some people down,
    time to disappoint my flesh,
    time to walk in the joyful, restful, peaceful,
    loving presence of the Lord.
    I had said “take me there”,
    He said “come in, I’ve been waiting for you”.
    Come often, draw near to me and I draw near to you,
    stay away and I grieve as you are weakened
    and battles, never fought, are lost.
    I war for you and you roll over for more sleep,
    I bring a feast to you,
    and you fill up on the junk food of life.
    You are not nourished only weakened
    and hungers cries are deafened by the noise of counterfeits.
    Be still…
    Remember the tastes,
    remember the smells,
    when you recognize them,
    draw near,
    I’ll be hear waiting,
    come away often my love.

    Kimberly Damon

    1. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

  8. would have to ask…what am I idolising/worshiping over God? Am I responding to His quiet prompts? Acknowledge to God that I do NOT know how to live life, thank Him for pursuing me….causing me to have these thoughts so that I can return to the foot of the cross and once again allow his grace to heal me.

    1. That’s good.

  9. I start by giving out to others. I can’t think of the scripture reference right now (which is bad because I normally know it!), but there’s a verse in Proverbs that says “he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

    When I can’t seem to find God, I talk about God to someone else.
    When I am praying for healing and I’m still sick, I pray for someone else’s healing.
    When my finances are tight and it doesn’t seem like God is coming through, I give.

    And usually, I end up finding Him again.

  10. And now for something completely different.

    In my case I’ve had times when life is difficult, stress-filled, and just wrong, God is distant, but I’m “doing” everything “right.”

    One reason God can seem distant is because a relationship with Him isn’t about “doing,” but about “being.” As you & others have pointed out, sometimes we’re too busy “doing” to “be.” (Remember Martha & Mary?)

    I’ve also found, though, that sometimes He seems distant because that’s how He wants it at that time. It could be like a father letting his child go as she learns how to walk or ride a bike. I still haven’t quite figured that one out yet, but that’s the wisest thing I’ve come up with to date.

    1. That’s good stuff. Thanks!

  11. Maybe this is not helpful, but it is how I try to think in these situations:
    Isaiah 55:8-9 says
    8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
    declares the LORD.
    9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

    BUT do not fear, that does not mean he is lost to us…
    John 1:1 says that God is the word.
    If God IS the word, and his thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, we have to learn to use the Bible as a ladder. In those times I try to write God’s word of truth on my heart, keep it in my mind, and slowly climb that ladder…and persevere…because it sure isn’t a short piddly little ladder.

  12. I kind of addressed this same topic today on my blog. I read the account in Exodus when Moses couldn’t understand why he had followed God’s instructions and life for the Israelites was getting harder and not easier. I don’t have a good answer. Accept that in my own life it has always been the time I look back and, in hindsight, I can see that God was growing my trust in Him and reminding me that the only thing I can put my trust in is HIM. Even if I don’t understand the why.

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