When God Feels Far<\/p>
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are seeking God, reading his word daily, and praying to hear from Him\u2014doing all the \u201cright\u201d things, but you feel disconnected from Him?\u00a0<\/p>
I\u2019ve been there, and it can be frustrating and even confusing, but today we\u2019re going to learn how to fix that.<\/p>
James gives us some wisdom on how to get close to God. You\u2019ve probably heard or read this one before\u2026<\/p>
James 4:8 NKJV - \u201cDraw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.\u201d<\/p>
Often we don\u2019t finish reading this verse. We decide how we can draw near and assume that God will do the same. I\u2019m not sure we understand what James is saying here. This verse can be split into four parts.\u00a0<\/p>
1) \u201cDraw near to God and He will draw near to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>
To draw near is a pursuit of God through prayer, repentance and faith. To draw near you have to have a desire for spiritual closeness and dedication to living in accordance with His ways.\u00a0<\/p>
2) \u201cCleanse your hands, you sinners;\u201d<\/p>
This is a call to action for us believers to renounce our sinful behaviours and turn away from actions that are contrary to God\u2019s will.\u00a0<\/p>
3) \u201cPurify your hearts\u201d<\/p>
A persons heart is where their will is. If your will does not align with His then you don\u2019t have a pure heart. It is very often they we hear people say \u201cI don\u2019t know what God\u2019s will is for my life, I just want to know.\u201d It is true for a long time we may not know the plans God has in mind for us but let\u2019s remember we have access to God\u2019s word that in detail shares His will for us. To live a righteous life. So to purify one\u2019s heart is to surrender your will to Him and build a desire to live a righteous life according to His will.<\/p>
4) \u201cYou double minded\u201d<\/p>
Being double minded means to be indecisive and wavering in one\u2019s faith and commitment. It\u2019s where an individual is torn between wanting to follow God and His ways and simultaneously pulled into worldly desires and temptations. In James 1:8 he says, \u201che is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.\u201d This man has a lack of singular focus and that will lead to instability in his spiritual life.\u00a0<\/p>
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I hope this has helped your season of feeling distant and given you the knowledge you needed to change it. Don\u2019t leave just yet, now I\u2019ll leave you with some encouragement\u2026 if you have been saved by grace through faith then remember you are being sanctified. God is working in your life.\u00a0<\/p>
Philippians 1:6 NKJV - being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;<\/p>
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Let\u2019s pray:<\/p>
Father, we come before You with our hearts open to Your will. Show us the areas of our lives that we\u2019ve not surrendered to You, where we continue to follow our own desires. Plant in us a desire to read Your Word and to act on the life You\u2019ve called us to live. We thank You for all You have done and are doing in our lives, and we give You all the glory. AMEN.<\/p>
- Nathanael Shepherd, Founder & CEO<\/p>
This post was shaped with the help of AI tools to refine and organize my thoughts.<\/span><\/p> Sign up to my newsletter so you don\u2019t miss my next blog\u00a0here<\/u><\/a><\/p> My personal\u00a0<\/span>instagram<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p> Follow my photography on\u00a0<\/span>instagram<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p> Shop latest products\u00a0<\/span>here<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p> Buy me a coffee\u00a0<\/span>here<\/u><\/span><\/a><\/p>