 Hey guys, what's up? My name is Isaac and welcome back to the channel. Today we're gonna be talking about a question that I actually received via Instagram and I cut it down for you guys a little bit because it's a longer question but I think it's helpful for us to talk about this question on it because I think maybe some of us might be feeling the same thing. So let me read it and then we'll get into it. So the question goes like this, why does God feel so far away? I've tried to read my Bible and pray but I'm getting tired of the feeling like no one's listening. I know it's not about the feeling but I guess I wonder why God wouldn't just give me the feeling all the time to confirm that he's with us. He is all powerful, he can do what he wants, can't he? I'm just tired of feeling like God is a million miles away. Now this isn't the first time I've received a question with this kind of same sentiment, this idea that why does God feel far away? Like I read my Bible, I pray, I feel like well I am and like I know I'm a Christian or I'm pretty sure you know and but yet God feels far away. Why is this, why isn't this feeling like of closeness with God? Why don't we have that all the time? So if you've been living the Christian life for any amount of time you realize that that feeling of closeness, intimacy, relationship, the feeling of that with God it doesn't always stay as powerful as we may like it and that's the problem is that we desire that we would like to feel close to God all the time. We would like to feel his presence with us, we'd like to feel that connection and intimacy with him all the time but the problem is we don't. We love this kind of spiritual high that we get. Some people go to conferences to get it, some people it's a Sunday morning worship does it for them but midweek it's a challenge to feel like God is present with us. We try to read our Bibles and pray more in hopes that reading and praying will give us a taste of the transcendent God but it ends up feeling more like homework. We want to feel again, we want to feel that connection, that closeness, that excitement but often it's taken away and we don't experience it all the time but the problem is is that when we're in this space oftentimes we desire the feeling more than we actually desire God. We desire the feelings associated with a close relationship with God, that feeling of acceptance, that feeling of love, that feeling of mercy, of connection, of relationship, of intimacy with God. We like that feeling but oftentimes we forget about God. Yes the feelings are great but we oftentimes are seeking the feeling more than we're actually seeking God in relationship with him. You know when we dig deep into our those desires that we have our desire isn't actually for God, it's for us. We desire that we want to feel better, we want to feel good but you know what? That's not what we should be searching and seeking for. You know what? What actually God desires for us is that we would pursue him despite how we feel. Not searching after a feeling to make ourselves feel good but to further pursue him out of a love and trust in him because you know what? That's the foundation of our faith that's God. It's not our feelings because you know you're going to experience and if you've been a Christian for any length of time you've probably experienced excitement and joy and peace and that closeness and connection and relationship with God and that's a wonderful gift that God gives us but you know what? You're going to experience that that's not always there. You're going to feel a little bit far away from God but what you need to have trust and faith in is that if you were continuing to pursue God regardless of how you feel you were in that relationship with God and God will never leave you nor forsake you. You know if God feels far away from you right now if you feel like he's not there he's not present with you number one repent repentance. Say God hey I know I've made mistakes in my life I know I've sinned against you a good and holy God please bring me in right relationship with you because our sin separates us from God put your trust in Jesus Christ know that once you put your trust in him and you begin to follow him he will never leave you nor forsake you he will not leave you behind he will not even though he may feel far away at times he is not distant he is present with you. Now my encouragement to you this week is this when feelings are there praise him and rejoice but when feelings fade trust in him because he will never leave you nor forsake you. Now don't take my word word for it trust him. Thanks for watching guys if you enjoyed this video or found some insight from it please give the video a like and subscribe to this channel if you're looking for more videos that are centered around becoming disciples of Christ and following him as disciples daily. So if you're interested in that please subscribe and check out dailydisciple.ca for new articles and videos every week. Yeah guys I look forward to another video with you but I wish you the best as you go along this week. Thanks guys and I'll see you later. Bye.