Devotional

“God is no further from you on your worst day than He is on your best day. Just open your heart to receive Him and His love.”  —David Jeremiah 

 God doesn’t move. He’s a steady, sure foundation. Rock solid. Never changing. He was and is and always will be … God. 

 So, if He feels far away — you’re the one who has walked away.  

 Thankfully, you can restore the intimacy and fellowship you once shared with Jesus. Here are the steps to take if Jesus feels far away from you today: 

 #1 Pursue Christ daily 

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness …” (Matthew 6:33).   

 Stop scrolling, posting and pinning! Turn off the TV. Put away the golf bag. Every day — up or down, good or bad — is a day you should spend time getting to know the heart of God, talking to Him and living for Him. Make time for it. 

 #2 Move past your failures  

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) 

 Guilt and shame are not your friends! Repent of the sins from your past and move on, with the Lord’s help. He’s not holding on to your failures and will in fact use those things to increase your effectiveness for Him now.   

 #3 Abandon your grudges  

“… As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13) 

 Harboring bitterness is as detrimental to your life as guilt and shame. Take your hurt and pain to God. Allow the forgiveness God displayed towards you (when you did not deserve it) to enable you to forgive the one who wronged you (even if they don’t deserve it.) Your life will be richer and fuller without the weight of bitterness.   

 #4 Turn from sin.  

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1,2) 

 Nothing will move you farther away from God than the burden of unconfessed sin. If you are tangled up in a habitual sin from which you cannot break free, seek guidance and help from one who is firmly rooted in Christ! Sin will keep you from living the life God wants you to live. It will keep you from experiencing God’s hand of protection and love in your life. Let go of the sin that ensnares you. 

 

My prayer this week—Draw me closer to you, Lord! I know that when you feel far away, it is because I have moved away from you, as you are the same yesterday, today and forever and when I call out to you in prayer, you are always there. I repent of sin, grudges, and unforgiveness toward others. I ask you to help me look beyond my failures and rely on your strength to walk forward in confidence.