WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR: THE GREAT DISCONNECT

Ever wondered why God seemed so close to Joseph in his Egyptian prison, yet feels distant during our own trials? We’re not alone in this struggle.

Picture this: Joseph languishes in Pharaoh’s dungeon, yet Scripture declares “the LORD was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:21). Daniel faces hungry lions, but God sends an angel to shut their mouths (Daniel 6:22). Paul endures shipwreck, and an angel appears with divine assurance (Acts 27:23). Even the grief-stricken disciples on the Emmaus road find Jesus walking alongside them (Luke 24:13-35).

Then there’s us—struggling with job loss, illness, broken relationships, or crushing anxiety—and heaven feels like brass. Where’s the angel? Where’s the fourth man in our fiery furnace? Why does God seem so present with biblical saints but absent in our moment of need?

This isn’t a crisis of faith—it’s a common Christian experience that deserves a biblical answer.

 

BIBLICAL SAINTS KNEW DIVINE DISTANCE TOO

Before we assume all biblical heroes lived in constant divine sunshine, Scripture reveals a different picture. David cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). In fact, Jesus Himself repeated this cry on the cross. Job searched desperately: “I go forward, but he is not there; backward, but I do not perceive him” (Job 23:8-9). Habakkuk pleaded, “How long, O LORD, must I call for help?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Even Jeremiah felt God had “wrapped yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can pass through” (Lamentations 3:44).

The biblical narrative includes both divine presence and divine distance. The difference isn’t that some saints were favoured while others were forgotten—it’s that God works through both experiences for His purposes.

 

GOD NEVER CHANGES, EVEN WHEN OUR EXPERIENCE DOES

Reformed theology anchors us in a fundamental truth: God’s essential nature never varies. “I the LORD do not change” (Malachi 3:6). James reminds us God is “without shadow due to change” (James 1:17). When God feels absent, He hasn’t moved—our perception has shifted, often for reasons beyond our understanding.

But why would a loving God allow us to feel abandoned? Scripture reveals felt absence serves divine purposes. Isaiah declares that God tests us “in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10). Peter explains that trials “test the genuineness of your faith” like gold refined by fire (1 Peter 1:6-7). Paul learned through despair to rely not on himself “but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9).

In the lives of believers, divine distance isn’t divine cruelty—it’s divine pedagogy.

 

WHY BIBLICAL TIMES SEEM DIFFERENT

The apparent difference between biblical and contemporary experience has theological explanations rooted in redemptive history.

• Progressive Revelation: During foundational periods, miraculous signs authenticated God’s messengers and the emerging covenant. Hebrews tells us God spoke “in many ways” to our fathers but now speaks definitively through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). The spectacular external manifestations served their purpose in establishing God’s revelation.
• The Greater Gift: Old Testament saints experienced the Spirit coming upon them for specific tasks—temporarily. We have something far superior: the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the Spirit would dwell within every believer forever (John 14:16-17). Paul declares if anyone has the Spirit of Christ, that Spirit lives in them (Romans 8:9-11). This is a greater reality than external signs, even if it feels less dramatic.
• The Nature of Faith: Abraham believed God’s promises despite physical impossibilities (Romans 4:16-22). After Christ’s resurrection, Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29). Our calling is to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith that depends on constant external confirmation isn’t mature faith—it’s spiritual infancy.

 

BIBLICAL STRATEGIES FOR DARK SEASONS

Scripture doesn’t just diagnose our problem—it prescribes solutions for when God seems far away.

Remember Past Faithfulness: David made this his practice: “I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old” (Psalm 77:11). When facing Goliath, he recalled how God delivered him from lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:37). Keep a record of God’s past provisions. When present circumstances cloud your vision, past faithfulness becomes a lamp for your feet.

Cling to Promises, Not Feelings: Paul thundered that nothing—not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword—can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). Moses promised that God “will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Isaiah assured us that when we “pass through waters,” God will be with us (Isaiah 43:2). These promises don’t depend on our emotional state—they rest on God’s unchanging character.

Continue Spiritual Disciplines: Habakkuk models this perfectly. Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom and there’s no fruit on the vines, he declares, “I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). David preached to his own soul: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God” (Psalm 42:5). Job’s faith reached its zenith in darkness: “Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15).

Seek Out Community: Ecclesiastes reminds us “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Paul instructs us to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). The writer of Hebrews warns against “neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:25). Isolation amplifies spiritual darkness—community provides light.

 

THE GREATER REALITY: OUR UNION WITH CHRIST

Beyond coping strategies lies a transformative truth: if we’re believers, we’re united to Christ regardless of how we feel. Paul declared, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

This mystical union transcends emotions. When God feels distant, Christ hasn’t departed—He lives within every believer. When prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling, remember there’s “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Our standing before God doesn’t fluctuate with our feelings.

Jesus promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Paul reasoned that God “who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all—how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). We’re already “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

These aren’t empty consolations—they’re gospel realities more solid than our circumstances.

 

THE PROBLEM OF DIVINE ABSENCE: HOPE IN THE DARKNESS

One day, this tension will resolve completely. Paul promised we’ll see “face to face” rather than “in a mirror dimly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). John envisioned the time when “the dwelling place of God is with man” and “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 21:3-4). Paul assured us our present sufferings aren’t “worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

Until then, we live in the “already but not yet”—already united to Christ but not yet experiencing the fullness of His presence. The tension isn’t punishment; it’s the normal Christian experience in a fallen world.

When God seems far, remember: He hasn’t moved. Our feelings don’t define reality. The gospel stands firm. Christ dwells within us. The Spirit intercedes for us. The Father loves us with the same love He has for His Son.

In the darkness, that’s enough light to take the next step.

 

THE PROBLEM OF DIVINE ABSENCE: RELATED FAQs

What does Jesus’ cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” teach us about divine absence? Jesus’ cry of dereliction on the cross (Matthew 27:46) represents the ultimate experience of divine distance—yet it was precisely in this moment that He accomplished our salvation. Reformed theology understands this not as actual abandonment by the Father, but as the Son bearing the weight of sin and experiencing the spiritual darkness that sin creates. Jesus endured the ultimate “divine absence” so we would never face true abandonment. His cry validates our own feelings of distance while demonstrating God can work redemptively through the experience of felt abandonment.

• How do contemporary Reformed scholars view the problem of divine silence? John Piper emphasises God’s hiddenness serves to deepen our faith and dependence on His promises rather than our feelings. He argues God withdraws the sense of His presence to teach us to live by faith in His character rather than by sight of His works. Tim Keller focuses on how divine absence can drive us deeper into the gospel, showing us our relationship with God is based on Christ’s performance, not our spiritual feelings. Both scholars stress God’s felt absence often precedes periods of spiritual growth and greater intimacy with Him.
• Should I feel guilty for experiencing God’s absence when other Christians seem to have vibrant spiritual lives? Absolutely not—feelings of spiritual dryness don’t indicate spiritual failure or lesser faith. Scripture gives us “permission to lament” through the honest prayers of David, Job, Jeremiah, and others who felt spiritually distant from God. These biblical examples show that questioning God’s presence is part of authentic faith, not a departure from it. Rather than comparing our inner experience to others’ apparent spiritual vitality, let’s remember maturity often involves learning to trust God’s promises when feelings fail.

How should I respond when well-meaning Christians tell me to “just have more faith” during seasons of divine distance? While their intentions may be good, such advice misunderstands both Scripture and spiritual maturity. The greatest saints in Scripture experienced periods of divine distance despite their deep faith—it wasn’t a faith deficiency but often a faith-building tool. Reformed theology teaches that faith is God’s gift, not our work, so we cannot simply manufacture stronger faith through willpower. Instead of trying to generate more faith, anchor yourself in objective gospel truths and continue practicing spiritual disciplines even when they feel empty.

• Is there a difference between depression and spiritual dryness, and how can I tell which I’m experiencing? While they can overlap, depression typically affects multiple areas of life (sleep, appetite, relationships, work) while spiritual dryness primarily concerns our sense of God’s presence. Depression often includes persistent hopelessness and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, whereas spiritual dryness may coexist with hope in God’s promises even when He feels distant. If we’re experiencing symptoms that interfere with daily functioning, seek both pastoral care and professional help—God often works through medical means. Remember, physical and spiritual health are interconnected, and addressing one often helps the other.
• Why do some believers seem to experience more dramatic spiritual highs and lows than others? Temperament, personality, and life circumstances—all of these influence how we experience God’s presence emotionally. Some people are naturally more emotionally expressive and may feel spiritual experiences more intensely, while others have steadier temperaments that produce more consistent (though perhaps less dramatic) spiritual experiences. Reformed theology reminds us that neither emotional intensity nor spiritual steadiness is superior—God works with our unique personalities. The goal isn’t to have identical spiritual experiences but to grow in faith, hope, and love regardless of our emotional makeup.

How do I support a friend or family member going through a season of feeling distant from God? Avoid offering quick fixes or suggesting their struggle indicates weak faith—instead, listen carefully and validate their experience as normal in the Christian life. Share biblical examples of saints who felt God’s absence, and gently remind them of gospel truths without dismissing their pain. Encourage them to continue spiritual disciplines (prayer, Scripture reading, church attendance) even when these feel empty, as faithfulness in dry seasons often precedes spiritual breakthrough. Most importantly, embody God’s presence through your consistent love and support, demonstrating that God hasn’t abandoned them even when He feels distant.

 

THE PROBLEM OF DIVINE ABSENCE: OUR RELATED POSTS

• Who Says God is Hidden or Distant? He is Just a Prayer Away
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