Why does it feel like God is not there?

Ravindran said:
I often quote this.. After I became a father, the Lord has been teaching many spiritual things through my daughter :D

I still remember holding her when she was so tiny.. I used to talk with her so much.. I would tell her all my office stories, everything that happened that day, how much I love her, what she means for me.. All she would do is - look somewhere else kicking her legs and hands! We all start spiritually the same way.. The Lord is holding us and speaking to us every moment.. Lord never changes.. It is our attention level and maturity which changes..

Now she is 3 years old.. We have amazing conversation now :) If I tell her I love her, she would give me a hug and kiss and say I love you too daddy.. Has anything changed from me? Not much! It is her maturity which has changed..

You have sound advice from everyone.. As you continue to dwell in his Word, meditate His Word, spend time on prayers, you would slowly start feeling His presence.. You will learn to start hearing to His voice.. It is an amazing experience.. You would realize, He has been trying to speak to you all the time! Perspective on things will change.. You might have come across the same situation before.. You will have a whole different meaning to that.. For example, my prayers were so different few years back.. These days when I have a need, it is not just putting a petition and moving on.. I worship the Lord and start praying about it with an open heart.. Because I want to hear from Lord what He has to say about it.. It may not be an audible voice.. But you will know the difference.. There might be seasons where you may not feel the closeness. Expect a little shaking to get things back to normal :D
Click to expand...
Sometimes, when I think about God and His presence, I feel a sensation. But it only lasts for a second. I have concluded that I don't completely believe that He is there, even though I know He is.

Also, yesterday, I thought that my mom was running late. Something inside me told me to get her shoes. However, it was not like a thought, because I felt a sensation. It felt powerful. I hesitated, but I though, "what if it really is God?" So I offered to get her shoes for her. She told me she was not late in the first place, but I don't care. How does it feel when God talks to you?
 
Juk said:
Sometimes, when I think about God and His presence, I feel a sensation. But it only lasts for a second. I have concluded that I don't completely believe that He is there, even though I know He is.

Also, yesterday, I thought that my mom was running late. Something inside me told me to get her shoes. However, it was not like a thought, because I felt a sensation. It felt powerful. I hesitated, but I though, "what if it really is God?" So I offered to get her shoes for her. She told me she was not late in the first place, but I don't care. How does it feel when God talks to you?
Click to expand...
May be you can talk with someone personally like your Pastor about your personal prayer.. Often, people go through motions and think they don't feel the presence of God.. Prayer is not about the words we use.. It is about our heart right.. So someone close to you can guide you and show you how prayer could be effective.. That would be a good starting point.. People in the forum can give some theoretical knowledge.. But ultimately, it is something to your mind and not to your heart.. I would suggest to work with someone personally..

Also, it is the work of devil to bring this kind of confusion.. He is author of confusion.. He will try to put doubts.. He will try to touch your belief itself.. He will try to make you believe that you are not really believing in God.. Never give into that..
 
Juk said:
I pray at least twice a day. I spend most of free time on these forums and a question-and-answer site called Quora, where I ask and answer questions about Christianity. I read the Bible everyday. But it does not feel like God is there. It feels like I am talking to myself. It feels like I am doing this for nothing. I know that God is there, and that the Christian God is indeed real, because of many testimonies and people like John G. Lake. Please help me.
Click to expand...

The first step is to grasp that God is not the limiting factor. He has already shown His desire to be united with us in that He made us and gave His life for us.

Now we.....are full of pride....we want God to fall on our laps, we want God to speak English into our ears, we want God to do magic tricks for us, we want God to give us special powers like superman, we want God to honor our selfish requests for riches and power.....when none of these take place we think God is not there. We have all been guilty of this stupidity / ignorance / pride. But lets call it what it is!!!!!!! Stupid ant expecting God of the universe to jump through hoops for us. We come to God, we speak to God, we hear from God on His terms. It is an honor to hear from God and we should seek Him with humility until we do.

1. We get our heart right Psalm 51:17, 1 Cor 11:31
2. We speak to Him respectfully as Jesus taught us ''Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name''.
3. We wait on Him, not vice versa.
4. We first ask how His day was and what He wants from us, before our day and our needs.

I am sure you get where I am going. Good luck ;).
 
Juk said:
people like John G. Lake. Please help me.
Click to expand...
John G Lake is a great man of God. But be careful. It is easy to think he is closer to God then others because he actively heals and raises people from the dead. When in fact according to much scripture, its the opposite. Look at Mother Theresa as a role model. The early Christians sold all they had and gave it to the poor (like Mother Theresa). What Christians would do that today? Christians today with their pride have more in common with Ananias and Sapphira. Pride makes you think you are hearing from God. When in fact He may not even know you Matt 7:22-23.
 
Think about it like this....If you are busy trying to figure out what it feels like to hear God, well you will probably not here Him when he speaks. If you are trying to compare feelings to figure out what feeling might be God and what feelings might not be God. Well your going to probably miss Him.

The devil would like nothing better for you to do then be searching for feelings and emotions and such. Getting all caught up in this.....then guess who startes placing all these feelings around you ? Yea you got it....The devil can make all sorts of different feelings around you. Dont expect all of the feelings to feel evil.

How about using FAITH. How about building up your FAITH and spending time with the Father. You wont learn my voice if you do not spend time with me and it is the same with the Father. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Have FAITH that when God speaks TO YOU.....WELL YOU AINT GONNA NOT KNOW.
 
2Co 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:

Walking by "sight" not only refers to seeing, but also feeling, tasting, and hearing. These are the things of the "flesh"
Walking by "faith" also has these same types of senses, only they come as the results of our "faith"

Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Joh_10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

1Jn_5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

None of these senses of "faith" have anything to do with the flesh of man. I see these things all the time in the realm of the Spirit, but I have NEVER seen anything spiritual with my physical eyes or any other physical senses, because they were not designed to.
Finding "scripture" that tell us these things, confessing them and believing them is the only way they will ever be made real to you.

Example: I would pray, "Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and they follow me" I am one of Christ's sheep, and I hear his voice, and I follow him. The voice of a stranger I will not follow or listen to. in Jesus name.

Praying these kinds of scriptures from your heart will eventually cause them to become a reality.
 
KingJ said:
The first step is to grasp that God is not the limiting factor. He has already shown His desire to be united with us in that He made us and gave His life for us.

Now we.....are full of pride....we want God to fall on our laps, we want God to speak English into our ears, we want God to do magic tricks for us, we want God to give us special powers like superman, we want God to honor our selfish requests for riches and power.....when none of these take place we think God is not there. We have all been guilty of this stupidity / ignorance / pride. But lets call it what it is!!!!!!! Stupid ant expecting God of the universe to jump through hoops for us. We come to God, we speak to God, we hear from God on His terms. It is an honor to hear from God and we should seek Him with humility until we do.

1. We get our heart right Psalm 51:17, 1 Cor 11:31
2. We speak to Him respectfully as Jesus taught us ''Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name''.
3. We wait on Him, not vice versa.
4. We first ask how His day was and what He wants from us, before our day and our needs.

I am sure you get where I am going. Good luck ;).
Click to expand...
I ask God multiple times to speak to me. I feel and hear nothing. When I pray to God, it feels like I am talking to myself.
 
Ravindran said:
May be you can talk with someone personally like your Pastor about your personal prayer.. Often, people go through motions and think they don't feel the presence of God.. Prayer is not about the words we use.. It is about our heart right.. So someone close to you can guide you and show you how prayer could be effective.. That would be a good starting point.. People in the forum can give some theoretical knowledge.. But ultimately, it is something to your mind and not to your heart.. I would suggest to work with someone personally..

Also, it is the work of devil to bring this kind of confusion.. He is author of confusion.. He will try to put doubts.. He will try to touch your belief itself.. He will try to make you believe that you are not really believing in God.. Never give into that..
Click to expand...
I feel awkward about talking to anyone about my faith. And the thing is that I am certain that God is out there, and the Christina God at that. I just do not fully believe that He is with my personally. I try to, but I just can't.
 
Fish Catcher Jim said:
Think about it like this....If you are busy trying to figure out what it feels like to hear God, well you will probably not here Him when he speaks. If you are trying to compare feelings to figure out what feeling might be God and what feelings might not be God. Well your going to probably miss Him.

The devil would like nothing better for you to do then be searching for feelings and emotions and such. Getting all caught up in this.....then guess who startes placing all these feelings around you ? Yea you got it....The devil can make all sorts of different feelings around you. Dont expect all of the feelings to feel evil.

How about using FAITH. How about building up your FAITH and spending time with the Father. You wont learn my voice if you do not spend time with me and it is the same with the Father. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Have FAITH that when God speaks TO YOU.....WELL YOU AINT GONNA NOT KNOW.
Click to expand...
So, instead of trying to hear God's voice, I should just pray anyway and read the Word, and I will eventually hear it, when I am ready?
 
Juk said:
So, instead of trying to hear God's voice, I should just pray anyway and read the Word, and I will eventually hear it, when I am ready?
Click to expand...

Juk you may be surprised how and when you start hearing His voice but the one thing you can no do is push and demand because it causes to much stuff in you that will block His voice out. Just keep on growing and learning and Thanking Him for teaching you or showing you the different ways He speaks to you. I am proud of you big time.
Jim
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juk
Fish Catcher Jim said:
Juk you may be surprised how and when you start hearing His voice but the one thing you can no do is push and demand because it causes to much stuff in you that will block His voice out. Just keep on growing and learning and Thanking Him for teaching you or showing you the different ways He speaks to you. I am proud of you big time.
Jim
Click to expand...
So I will just live by faith, follow the Bible, and faithfully wait?
 
Juk said:
So I will just live by faith, follow the Bible, and faithfully wait?
Click to expand...
Yep... Read 1 Kings 19:12.

To hear: #1 Get quiet, #2 Write down what comes to mind, #3 Test what's been written down for accuracy.

This is a good comment on what to do:

 
  • Like
Reactions: Juk
Abdicate said:
Yep... Read 1 Kings 19:12.

To hear: #1 Get quiet, #2 Write down what comes to mind, #3 Test what's been written down for accuracy.

This is a good comment on what to do:

Click to expand...
That's some great advice! Sometimes, I ask the Lord to speak to me, and I try not to think. But my mind always runs free, usually about topics in the Bible, but then just random things in my life.
 
Juk said:
That's some great advice! Sometimes, I ask the Lord to speak to me, and I try not to think. But my mind always runs free, usually about topics in the Bible, but then just random things in my life.
Click to expand...
The trick is empying the mind and allowing God full access.
Strangest thing, I am more clear minded whilst driving; this is good time with Jesus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juk
Fish_of_Faith said:
The trick is empying the mind and allowing God full access.
Strangest thing, I am more clear minded whilst driving; this is good time with Jesus.
Click to expand...
I hve tried this before, and He does not speak to me, at least like how I expect it. But God does indeed talk to me, in unexpected ways.
 
Juk said:
I hve tried this before, and He does not speak to me, at least like how I expect it. But God does indeed talk to me, in unexpected ways.
Click to expand...
We all have our own account of God and He can speak to us in many ways.
He may speak to me different to you. It's recognising that God is speaking to you which is fundamental.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Juk
Juk said:
I hve tried this before, and He does not speak to me, at least like how I expect it. But God does indeed talk to me, in unexpected ways.
Click to expand...

God does speak through His word, unfailingly, if we turn our spiritual ears toward Him. As He is the perfect Father, He is always speaking to his kids, and if you have received His great gift of salvation, then you are included!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top