When God Feels Distant, He May Want Us to Grow Up

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 1171

[wk]

When I first got saved I told my boyfriend "if you don't come to Jesus, we're done. I am moving out and will never have contact with you." I was a baby in Christ but I was serious about my walk. So, the woman who led me to Christ would pray every night with me for my boyfriend to get saved. One month later he got saved, 9 months later we got married (and before you think it: no I was not pregnant!) and 27 years later we are still serving the Lord and still as much in love with each other.

[Jimbojenkins]

Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

[timekeeper]

I wish we had a “love” button for this video! It’s well presented in love, not condoning sin, but encouraging her in hope.

[rebeccafrost]

Heart. Left Christianity at 19 for love of Muslim man. Relationship didn't work out. It's a bad move to give up your faith for another person.

[mel]

Amen.
I testify I was in this same condition but our Lord took me out.
Now I cant live a day without Him.
I need Him more than anything in this world.

[mommaof]

Everyday I wake up I pray to get my day started and I say outloud "Today I choose Jesus"
To live more like Christ ( walking in love & truth) and crucify myself. I choose to live for God. I pray, talk & meditate in God throughout my day to keep that communication open & read His Word. Its been life changing! My heavenly Father I love you so so much!
Everyday is a new day with its own challenges. My favorite bible versus..Phillipians 4:6
2 Corinthians 12:9, Deuteronomy 31:6
and Psalm 86:15

[TabithaDavis]

I urge this young girl to listen to this message. As someone who was there once as a young girl. I have had a lot of hard times in my life, but it's all brought me closer to KNOWING GOD in a way I never did when I was a young teenager who just walked around with my head in the clouds. He speaks 100% truth. You'll be thankful one day!

[tinahatmi]

I was feeling far away from Jesus and I found this :) this came up to me that he will leave 99 sheep to find that one who has gone missing, I burst into tears and told myself that even if I feel far away he is not away he is here with me in me and he will never leave nor forsakes me✝️
I know it was holy spirit who reminded me the truth while I was drowning
Love you LORD JESUS♥️
* this was massage was so touching and beautiful thank you🙏🏻❤️

[deemisquadis]

When he feel distant, it is because you moved away, not him. He is always there. You need to believe and trust, you need to love and forgive. You will be okay, that way. 😇🤗

[douglascoggeshall]

2022-02-24 ... PLEASE pray for me, and marriage to my beloved wife Katherine ... I'm about to have a major breakdown after seven weeks apart, I pray often, I desperately need The Lord's guidance and a miracle ... "thank you" very much

[Jesus_is_Lord_]

Quick testimony - I grew up in a Christian home, but I was not born again until God saved me at the age of 16. I was a rebellious and lost teenager on the road to destruction before then. I was saved in God's perfect timing.

For 5-6 years I was very committed, even did Bible school for 2 years after high school, but then I started growing cold in my heart to the things of God and church involvement ... For over 20 years I slid further and further away, sometimes trying to come back and repent, but it never lasted. I was lost in sin all over again, much worst than before, trapped in wickedness and alcoholism.

But God ...

In 2019, God slowly started reviving me, calling me back home. This accelerated greatly through 2020 and today He has restored me back onto the Narrow Way, where I continue to abide in Him and in His Word, waiting for our Lord, our Blessed Hope.

Please come quickly, Lord Jesus 🙏🎺✈

[morganreynolds]

Peter denied Jesus three times, it did not mean his walk with Jesus beforehand was, "phony" or "religious". The Holy Spirit encounters and experiences you had with Jesus years ago are still valid and valuable despite the presumptions made about them in this video. Yes, walk deeper and grow closer to the Lord, but know he does not see you as what you did, the mistakes you've made or even the ones you might make again. He sees you as you are in Christ, a daughter LOVED, CHOSEN and INTENDED FOR SOMETHING MARVELOUS. Like the prodigal son, he doesn't care where you've been, he's just glad that you're back. Rejoice in his grace and mercy and walk out in freedom!

[hansja]

This is also my story. I went too far to be married to an unbeliever. I treated my husband as an enemy, but now I thank God for the great things He is doing in my heart and life through my husband.

[actmrhata]

When I got saved, I asked God to do the most painful thing at that time. I asked him to help get me out of a relationship that my flesh reeeaally wanted to hold on to. And he did. And it hurt. But now, I’m married to a wonderful man who loves God and I am nothing but grateful for what God did in my life even when it hurt.

[MrBilioner]

It gives me always comfort to see that even all those kings and judges throughout the OT, even though they were evil and turning away from Him all the time, God did not forsake His people, He did not give up. Thank you Lord for your patience and mercy!

[courtneyj]

I can so relate to this! I thought I had a good walk with God, then I thought I was ready for a boyfriend so I was praying about it before my coworker expressed his interest in me. ((I no longer work with him and I definitely no longer date him))

I had been baptized just a few months before we started dating. I also prayed a lot back then and I loved praise and worship during church. At the time, I was also doing nursery and kids class, though I stopped with kids class because I forgot I was supposed to do class on the same day I brought my boyfriend to church.

I did wait a few months before we had intercourse, though basically every time we hung out together we spent the time making out. He always wanted to further faster than I wanted to. I stayed at his house overnight and the walk home ((we lived about four blocks away from each other)) was so full of shame. He tried to help me justify it in the sense that women usually lost their virginity at a younger age or I was around the normal age idk. I thought I was gonna marry this man and all was gonna be fine, but the idea of marrying him made me have an emotional breakdown. Probably a few weeks before we finally did it, he said he wanted to marry the next woman he laid with.

He had claimed to be “saved”, as in, he had done what I had done, said a prayer years ago. He only went to church because I went to church, and my biggest regret is that I did not shine the light of Christ to him because I was living like the devil at the time and was blind to it. :(

I got so angry at God afterward for not keeping me from this. I was so angry at people at church who didn’t want to say anything if they were concerned that I would make a bad choice. But I remember God had stopped it from going too far many times in many ways. I just wanted it bad enough that He let me have it, but my mental and physical health were not the same. I ignored warnings from people who didn’t like my ex, so it really is my fault.

But God has really been working with me for the past year and a half or so. I understand that I can’t blame God since He isn’t the one that tempts. He allows it, and I know I failed the test. This video has helped me understand more and it feels like God is saying the same thing to me. I don’t want a phony walk, but I struggle to make effort for a real one.

[cynthiaevangelista]

For a long time I didn’t make God my first priority and now I can honestly say God comes first and put no one above Him. I pray that in my affliction he gives me the strength and stay focuse on him.

[dredwin]

Pastor Piper is always authentic and practical in Christ.
Praise God

[stacyruthieann]

Yikes this just wrecked me! The bitter truth! Wow wow wow!

[elkejansevanrensburg]

Oh! I just cried through this whole podcast! And my heart just kept responding with Amen! Amen! Amen! Kristen, I hope that the Holy Ghost convicted you that this message is true and just.
This is my story too. Being religious and jumping from one emotional spiritual encounter to the next. I made God into one of the gods in my life: just keeping Him near when I needed Him.
It took my daughter's death 3 years ago to open my eyes to God's truth about my life and my relationships to Him. God wanted my heart and my all! I am now enjoying my walk with God, and loving it when He reveals His heart to me. Yes, we all mess up at some point. But God can even use our messes to draw us closer to Him.
Kristel, if you are reading this: just a word. I know you feel ashamed of your bad choices, but God doesn't want to keep you in this state! He has lots of great stuff planned for you. If you repent and turn away from sin, God forgives freely and wholeheartedly! But you must also FORGIVE YOURSELF! Don't let Satan keep you hostage out of shame. Yes, the consequences of your choices, of sin, will still be there, but don't put yourself in a prison of guilt. Take Jesus Christ's hand and walk this road on earth with Him.