Feeling Far From God?

The Opposition of Facts and Feelings

You or someone you know is feeling far from God. What do you do? And what is it that is making you feel far from God? The psalmist, Hee-man put it this way:

One of the facts of life is that we all want connection. God wove into us a desire for intimacy, and real closeness.

He put it in women and men.

Psalm 88:3–5 “For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand.”

Even David, who God said was a man who sought after God’s heart, was still struggling with hope and connection.

Yada (יָדַע)

Meaning: "To know" intimately or experientially. This word goes beyond intellectual knowledge, implying a deep, personal, relational connection.

Biblical Usage:

In Genesis 4:1: "And Adam knew (yada) his wife Eve." Here, "yada" refers to sexual intimacy, but it also symbolizes the profound union and knowledge shared between two people.

In contexts like Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew (yada) you," it reflects God's intimate knowledge of individuals, highlighting relational closeness.

Here are some ideas for you about the feelings and lies we can face:

Is its the blatant sin you just committed that is creating that feeling?

What about your lack of performance?

Maybe you have had “one of those day” and you gave someone a bird other than the dove?

What about the feeling of Him being close? We all want that dating sensation, so we continue to date Him rather than give ourselves to Him as if He is our bridegroom (which He is).

Facts:

All of these things I’ve listed are from the old covenant.

Your performance is not linked to how close He is to you, or how aware he is of you.

A performance for God does not steer Him to you (or away from you).

The blood that was shed speaks a better word, and outlines the new covenant with God.

What you do has no control over the veil being torn and the work being finished!

We have to address the behavior that communicates where our hearts still struggle.

Romans 8:15–17 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

Here’s a challenge for all of us: stop living like orphans trying to find acceptance with a new father.

Yes, there are things we can do, which include:

Pray

Read our the Word

Worship

Get in community via Home Groups and services

But more than that, we have to know (yada) our Father and fully comprehend our standing with Him.

You are an accepted son, daughter, and heir. You no longer need to act like the prodigal child who squandered their life. The father wants to meet you, throw His arms around you, and show you how valuable you are to Him.

James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

You take the first step. Under this new covenant, your hands are cleansed by the blood — your responsibility is to turn your heart to Him, not being led astray by performance (or lack thereof).

When you mess up, and you will, keep in mind that God has an unlimited amount of grace available for you, and it is unconditional. The only thing that you can do that can separate you from Him is deny Him his place in your life.

Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

He is near.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Cessationism or sensationism: Cessationists believe that the gifts of the spirit of not for today, that we no longer need healings, signs, and wonders — we here at Eden believe in continuationism and that God is the same today, and that the gifts are still in operation and we can see God moving all around us in these gifts.

Sensationism is built on the need for feelings, sensational experiences, dramatic emotions, or physical thrills.

Jeremiah 23:23–24 ““Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”

You cannot even hide from Him — He is omnipresent (everywhere at once).

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

He is aware of you, and desires you to feel his presence in the midst of heartbreak.

Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Matthew 28:20 “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

He has given us a promise to never leave us, even to the very end.

Acts 17:27–28 “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’”

Romans 8:38–39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, We come before You with grateful hearts, reminded that You are not a distant God but a close, ever-present Father. You are with us in the highs and the lows, the joys and the struggles. Thank You for being a God who draws near to us, who hears our prayers, who sees every tear, and who never leaves us alone.

God, we ask for Your presence to surround us this week. Help us to feel Your love in a real and tangible way. Remind us that even when life feels uncertain, You are the solid rock beneath our feet. You are our refuge, our strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble.

Jesus, thank You for making the way for us to be close to the Father. Because of You, we don’t just know about God—we can know Him personally. May we walk in that truth every day.

Holy Spirit, guide us to live in Your presence, to trust in Your wisdom, and to reflect Your love to the world around us. Help us to remember that we are never alone—You are always with us.

We love You, we trust You, and we honor You. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, and all God’s people said—Amen.

New Believers

“As we wrap up today, I want to talk to a very special group of people. Maybe you’ve been listening, and there’s a stirring in your heart. You might not even be able to explain it, but deep down, you know this: something needs to change. Maybe you feel far from God, or maybe you’re unsure where you stand with Him. I want you to know that today, everything can change for you.

You see, we’ve all fallen short. We’ve all sinned. But here’s the good news: God didn’t leave us in that place. He sent His Son, Jesus, who lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again, so that anyone—and that includes you—who calls on His name will be saved.

It doesn’t matter what your past looks like. It doesn’t matter how messy your life feels right now. Jesus is here, arms wide open, ready to forgive, to restore, and to make you brand new.

So if you’re ready to step into that fresh relationship with Jesus, I want to lead you in a simple prayer. The words aren’t what save you—it’s the faith in your heart.

Let’s pray together:

‘Jesus, I need You. I’ve sinned, and I can’t do this on my own. Thank You for loving me, for dying for me, and for rising again so I can have new life. I turn from my sin, and I turn to You. Come into my heart, make me new, and help me follow You all the days of my life. My life is Yours.’

And if you just prayed that prayer—let’s celebrate what God is doing in this moment! Welcome to the family of God! You are new in Christ, and we believe the best is yet to come.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, we want to celebrate that and give you an opportunity to make a public declaration of your new inward condition by being baptized. You don’t have to do it tonight, but it’s a public announcement of your relationship with Jesus, a sign of new beginning, and an act of showing you are no longer an orphan. You’ve been adopted into the family of God.

If that is you, and you’d like to get baptized tonight, we have a change of clothes for you and a towel.

Baptisms

*Ask the band to come to the stage and lead us in worship

I’d like to ask that those who are being baptized tonight come to the right side of the sanctuary near the baptismal and form a line.

Explanation of Baptism

One way to look at baptism could be to relate it to the pronouncement of your new birth into the family of God. That you are no longer to live like an orphan, but someone who has found their place in their fathers house.

Believer’s union with Christ’s death and resurrection.

It is about a transformative journey from death to life.

Your responsibility from today forward is to walk in the newness of this relationship. You are no longer who you once were, you are a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Your life is now transformed by grace.

As we begin to worship, celebrate with us every time one goes down and comes back up — because this is a time to celebrate their new identity in Christ!

Closing:

Before you leave today, don’t walk this journey alone. Stop by the Connection Center or come find one of our team members. We’d love to meet you, answer any questions you have, and give you some next steps as you begin this amazing new chapter in your life.