Feeling distant?

Have you ever come to a point in your life where you feel distant from God? Like no matter how much you read the bible, pray or sing songs of praise, he’s just not there. Like no matter what you do you just don’t feel the Holy Spirit anymore? Such seasons are just exhausting and they drain your energy to the max. I have been there. I felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I sometimes felt like I do not deserve God’s love, no matter how much I tried pursuing him, I felt like he just didn’t want me anymore. But you know what, God’s love isn’t restricted when we think we did well, he loves us regardless.

I kept beating myself up until I realised that it’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay to be overwhelmed. I honestly felt like I’m not doing enough to please God. Or maybe God was just not interested in me anymore. Sometimes one may look like they have it all together in the outside, but deep down you just falling apart. And you know what? That’s okay too; because you don’t have to have it all figured out all the time. But just don’t unpack and stay there.

The way I was feeling was summed up in Psalm 13: 1-2 “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and everyday have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Feeling distant from God doesn’t mean we should stop seeking him, even when we feel like he is nowhere to be found. There’s one song I love about seeking God’s face by Bethel music, it’s called “ONE THIRST”. Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, “seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.

It is in that feeling of feeling distant from God that you must hold on to him; pray even when you feel like your prayers are bouncing back. The devil likes to use such situations against us. Seek God’s face even when you feel like he can’t be found. 1Peter 4: 8-9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.

Take note of “your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of struggle”. You are not the only one feeling like God is distant from you. You are told to stand firm in faith, because that’s the only thing that will help you through this difficult time.

1Chronicles 16:11 Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always. This means that we should seek his face in all seasons. Seek his face even when you don’t feel like seeking his face. Seek his face even when you feel like he can’t be found. Seek his face even when you feel like you don’t deserve his love. Seek his face always.

In Proverbs 8:17 God says he loves those who love him and those who seek him will find him. This means that we should’nt grow weary in seeking God because we know that whenever we seek him we will find him. God is always there when you need him. Even when you feel like he is far away, he is right by your side and he will never leave or forsake you.

Jeremiah 29:13-14 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, “declares the Lord, “ and I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you”, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.

Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple.

One thing we should always remember is that God never leaves our sight. There’s this saying that says when you feel like God has moved away from you, it’s usually not God who has moved but you. Ask God to take you to a place where your heart was only about him and all you wanted was just to be with him.

From me Divhani 

I am ACCOUNTABLE

You are probably wondering what I am accountable for. Let me start by saying I miss writing like crazy and I’m back with a bang. LOL, mind my language. OK so let me narrow this down for you.

Accountability is the state or quality of being accountable; especially: an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for someone’s actions. Emphasis on “to account for someone’s actions”. You are accountable for the next person’s actions by the way you live your life. Are you living a life that would grow someone else spiritually or are you living a life that will cause the next person to stumble. We may get to a point where we blame the next person for their actions but when we are at fault ourselves. I do not mean to condemn anyone, but is your life worthy enough to move someone closer to God? I sometimes ask myself the very same question and find out that some of my actions are so bad that they don’t strengthen or move the next person closer to God.

No, nobody is perfect, but we all have a conscience. We sometimes do things selfishly without considering how it will affect the next person’s spiritual growth. Our job as Christians is to win souls. Winning souls is not just about preaching the gospel, it’s also about the way we live our lives.

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise the Father in heaven.

Just a few questions for you and I before I continue. Are you the light of the world, or darkness instead? When people see your deeds, are they praising or bashing God (the FATHER) in heaven. Is your life, actions and works glorifying God? What kind of message are you sending out there?

It is very important to be the light and light up someone’s world so that they can be able to grow spiritually and most importantly, glorify God. Our job is to please God and not humans. And that being said, how we live our lives, how our actions encourage others to do well or bad? And pleasing God in the process?

1Peter 5:2-3 “Be shepherds of God’s flocks that is under your care, serving as overseers- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money but eager to serve; 3 not lording over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Now the verse above is spot on. We all know that a shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds or guards’ herds of sheep. You have been entrusted to be shepherds of God’s flock. Are your actions herding other people towards or away from God? Are you being examples to God’s people or do you keep poisoning them with your actions?

It is one thing to preach the gospel, but another to live the gospel. Those around you should be moved by the way you live the gospel and not just by preaching. I’m sure that God smiles on his throne when he sees you living the gospel and herding the flock he entrusted you with to the right direction.

1Corinthians 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Not everyone is spiritually mature. Some Christians are still baby Christians and they depend on you in order not to stumble. Are you a stumbling block to the weak or are you a building block to the weak? Do weak people look at you and want to follow the life you lead or do they look at you and wonder if God is really at work in you. Some people will go to hell because of the way you led your life and it will be on your conscience. Do you think God will be pleased with such outcomes? I THINK NOT!!!!!!!

Now here is a better approach to life. 1Corinthians 8:13 “Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will NEVER eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall”. Now this is a very simple approach, you either get rid of those actions of yours that cause your brothers and sisters to stumble or the death of their souls will be on your conscience.

Last but not least, 1Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

From me

Divhani

I LOOOVVVEEE YOOOUU