I was struck reading Psalm 42 today. You’re probably familiar with the first two lines: As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for You. But the Psalmist (identified only as a descendant of Korah) goes on to talk about how God feels far away. He knows that God is his “direction”, his “life”, and his “rock”… yet He still feels disconnected and aloof. Which is crazy to me since this guy is LITERALLY WRITING SCRIPTURE! We understand the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, and yet this Biblical author felt that God was distant and hidden!

Even in a time when God was performing unfathomable miracles, manifesting hordes of angelic theophanies, and sending prophets to speak for Him, and inspiring people to pen the most enduring words in human history… those very people felt far from God.

We often hold this mistaken belief that if God just moved like He did in the Old Testament things would be better. The world would believe more readily. Or some other wish-casting nonsense. The fact is that people felt the same then as we do today. Israelites being led around the Sinai Peninsula by a PILLAR OF FIRE walked away from God. There is nothing He can do that would make more people believe, short of commandeering their free will choices.

We’re not special today. We have the same problems and temptations all people have had throughout human history. Judas literally lived and travelled with Jesus, and STILL thought the money was more valuable. So if you feel like God is far away, know that you are not alone. This is something we have all experienced at one time or another. But it comes in ebbs and flows. Stay faithful. The tide will come in.