I don’t know about you, but I can’t live without God. But at times, like last weekend, He felt far away. Distant, I felt lonely for His presence.

I’d been so busy, occupied with writing, with holiday activities, with Don’s and my health, that I wasn’t looking to Jesus for the joy He came to give. And I fretted about what this year will hold for us. But Christ wants to give us a full life, although not always easy.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

—Jesus, in John 10:10

Photo by David Duky on Pexels

A Satisfying Life

A satisfying life doesn’t mean everything will go the way I want it to, that my life will be filled with happiness and ease. It does mean I can rely on my Lord to walk with me through the joys and minefields of life, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

I Shared My Concerns

Saturday evening, I told Don I felt distant from God. He encouraged me, and we prayed together. “Lord, I submit,” I said, knowing there were areas where I wasn’t trusting Him as He wanted.

Sunday and Monday, I connected with three dear friends, sharing my need. I learned this:

• One admitted to feeling the same way. Overwhelmed. One thing after another. And distant from God. I wasn’t alone. We prayed together.
• Another encouraged both Don and me with this scripture:

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

—Isaiah 43:19, ESV

He challenged us to watch for the new things God will do this year, and to be thankful. Gratitude does change our attitude! And then he prayed for us and hugged us.

• And the third reminded me that my faith isn’t based on my feelings, but on God’s faithfulness. And sometimes we just need to share our questions and concerns in order to release them to God.

A Heart Change

That afternoon, I felt my heart changing. This morning, as I drove to the chiropractor’s office, I saw the gorgeous green hills with fresh eyes, thankful for all this beauty God created. My heart was filled with joy, and I felt the touch of the Master’s hand.

En route home, I stopped for groceries. Three young people stood by an IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) booth, soliciting donations. Their website says 20,000 elephants are still killed every year for their ivory tusks. IFAW has found new ways to bring people, organizations and governments together to stop the poaching. And after the recent Pacific Palisades fires, they helped reunite many animals with their owners.

Photo by Derek Keats on Pexels

A New Connection

I greeted the three. “Hi! How are you all today?”

Sade, a lovely, tall African American, answered. “Good. How about you?”

“I’m great. God is good!”

“He is,” she said. “All the time!”

“Yes.” I gave her a high five. “Not because of us, but because He is faithful.”

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels

I asked Sade how long she’s known Jesus.

“All my life. But I’m getting to know Him even better recently.”

I shared a bit of my history of God’s grace through difficult and good times, i.e., my pain when Jerry died, and God’s goodness in bringing Don and me together in answer to our prayers. Neither of us wanted to play the dating game and asked that, if God had someone else for us, He would sort of drop that person into our lives. And He did—through a widow and widower’s grief recovery group.

Sebastian wanted to know why I stopped to chat. I had to think for a minute. I’m not particularly a wildlife enthusiast. Finally, I said, “God has filled me with so much joy today that I just wanted to connect.”

I gave Sade a big hug, wished them all a great year, and God’s blessings. I don’t know where either of the other two are in their faith walk, but they heard Sade and me rejoicing in God.

God Hears And Answers

And here I am, in a totally different emotional and spiritual state than I was three days ago. We will have ups and downs, will struggle with questions and challenges and life issues and wearying chronic illnesses and rebellious children and difficult relationships and loss and whatever … and for some that includes loss of life due to persecution because of their faith in Christ. But God is good because that is His nature. He is faithful and does not change. His promises are reliable.

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

—2 Peter 3:13

And when I asked for a touch from Him, He answered. So ready to draw me back when I was overwhelmed. He is so ready to hear our honest hearts when we come to Him, needy and broken, and to respond.

Do You Relate?

I know I’m not the only one who experiences these feelings of closeness/distance from God (as we do within our own families at times). But is this something you can relate to? I want this blog to be relevant to your lives, to encourage you in your faith walk, wherever you may be. I’d appreciate your feedback.

Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

—Psalm 90:14