Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ps 51:10–13.
Some would argue that the most miserable person on earth is not a person who doesn’t have a relationship with God but someone who has a relationship and is out of fellowship with Him. This person has experienced the joy of salvation and the peace and security of being close to God. A person that never had that can never miss that.
The weight of broken fellowship can feel like a great burden. It’s like an ache that never stops. Think about it. You have experienced becoming a child of the creator of the universe and the most perfect Father. The excitement of desiring constant communication and the eagerness to tell others about where you found peace is with you all day long. Slowly, and it usually happens this way, you become more and more distant. And the moment that you feel like God no longer wants to talk with you, you would be wrong.
God never moved or changed. If you look closely at the trail that you took you see that God is where He always was and we created separation by the path that we took. Our need for daily communion with God somehow became an option and then became a burden. This all started in our mind and made it’s way to our heart.
When God calls, you can still hear Him. You are still family because the relationship, like God, doesn’t change with feelings. He still calls you but He seems so far away. Then you begin to remember those days of your salvation. How happy and full of peace and joy you were. How can you get back there?
The first question is which way are you facing? If you are running from God His voice will only seem farther and farther way. You must repent, turn to Him, and begin moving His way. Talk as you walk. Ask Him to quicken your steps toward Him.
You must realize nothing ever changed in the facts. You were saved by God’s grace. You remain a child of God and the distance between you and Him is only changed by you. That usually happens when your mind is infected with the lies of the world and you begin to believe them. Don’t.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Heb 13:8.