why does God seem so distant?

Question

in my life god seems like a overseer not a present occupent. i have to be saved. but now what? he is supposed to be this allpowerful god. it just seems he is just enjoying my pain and just keeping me in it. past,present,future.

Answer 1

If you are seeing darkness it can only be because you are not looking at the Light.

Answer 2

In the garden of Eden the serpent challenge Gods ability to rule. Again in the book of "Job". This is like a teacher teaching a math class. He has posted a math problem and is teaching how to solve it. A student becomes disruptive and claims that he knows a better way to do the problem. He publicly challenges the teachers competence and authority. Now the teacher could tell him he is wrong and send him to the principles office, but what would this do? For the other students that might be persuaded by the students claim this will further allow questioning of the teachers competence and authority. So the teacher allows the student to prove his point, there by showing without question that the teachers is right. This is why God has not intervened as of yet. He is allowing Satan to show the class that his way is right. By the way the world is Satan isn't doing a good job. God is there, and when the lesson has been learned he will step in and then send the student to the office.

Answer 3

I'm assuming your asking about the Christian God. If my assumption is correct, I may have an insight which could shed some light on the subject.

In Christianity, most people believe that once we arrive at Heaven everything is fine, and we sit around for the rest of eternity in eternal bliss and happiness. However, there are several verses in both the Catholic and Protestant Bibles which indicate that we will somehow be involved in ruling creation with God. For example, in the Catholic Bible's Book of Wisdom is says the Just shall judge Nations. It doesn't say which Nations, but given that eternity goes on forever, it could be argued that we will be judging Nations which don't even exist yet.

If you're going to be a Judge, would you want someone to judge who has never stubbed his toe?

Based upon what I have seen and been through, it is possible that what we experience (good and bad) is allowed to occur because it can generate strength and wisdom. Unless you know what pain, despair, death, isolation from God, etc., feels like and has done to you, it's impossible to understand what someone else who is experiencing it is going through, why they might behave the way they do, and how you can teach them to change their ways.

Christ felt abandoned on the Cross.

Our scars are reminders of what we have survived, and without our experiences everything we hold to be true is untested and unproven.

Answer 4

God has and does reveal Himself. When He is not revealing Himself, He is hidden, that is, "seems distant". But a hidden God is not an absent one. When someone is absent from me, I feel this because I am missing his presence. It is the same with God. But God does not disappoint. At the appointed time, He will be present for you. You wait in hope. You are not "waiting for Godot", but for the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. If you think you are "waiting for Godot", the god you are waiting for is too small! You need to have bigger expectations! After Advent, here comes Christmas! Bless you!

Answer 5

Great question.

My guess is that you have been taught the Pauline gospel of sacrifice for sins. Jesus did NOT teach that gospel.

Get yourself back to the Original Kingdom Gospel Jesus actually taught about "treasure hid in a field" and the light of God.

The resource "Gospel Enigma" explains the difference between the Original Gospel and the Pauline gospel. Find it at the top of the list at New Free Books.

That will give you the answer you are seeking... since it is the Original Gospel that brings DIRECT EXPERIENCE of God.

Answer 6

God does not just sit back and enjoy pain for His people.

If He is distant from you, its usually because you are distant from Him.

Are you praying, are you looking into His word? Are you spending time with other godly people that can encourage you? Are you keeping yourself as free from sin as you can and confessing it to Him when you do sin?

If you're doing all of those things in spirit and truth, He will be with you. If you're neglecting those things, He has no real reason to want to help you.

Sometimes pain and trouble in our lives is His way of telling us to get things right again.

Answer 7

God doesn't enjoy your pain, but He may indeed have a purpose for it.

If you think about it, most of us cause our own pain (unless it's some kind of illness or something - and even then we can have a hand in it sometimes).

Often, when I am experiencing some difficulty, I pray "God, whatever you have to teach me, teach it to me quick!" I know it's a little silly, especially if it's God's lessons I want to learn, I should probably be willing to learn it on His schedule.
So I don't know what pain you are experiencing, but I do know that there is a purpose for it. You may or may not be allowed to discover that purpose.

I have had lots of pain that I have later come to find either helped me learn some character quality or have some understanding. But I was only able to acquire that after the fact. When I was in it, it seemed purposeless.

The only pain I've ever experienced that seemed without purpose is the loss of my son. Even that isn't without purpose, I guess I just feel like there wasn't enough reward to balance out the level of pain for me, personally. I'd give up everything I've gotten out of that experience to have him back. But it isnt' my choice to make, and there is no point in wishing for things that can not be. Not that the pointlessness of wishing stops me from wishing.

My only comfort is that I know I will see my son again in heaven, and there we can know as we are known.

But at the last, most of the pain we experience we create for ourselves. So in all liklihood it is not God keeping you there, but yourself. Sure, sometimes stuff just happens; you have a bad day, the dog throws up, your spouse or kids or parents are a pain, the car breaks down etc....

But the kinds of pain that we abide in, daily? Most of that is created for ourselves. We fight with our spouse and kids, we are unkind when we could have been kind, we gossip when we should have kept our mouth shut, we spend our time wishing for things we don't have, instead of being happy with what we do have, we do something cruel and then get surprised when somebody doesn't like us, we are selfish instead of giving, cold instead of loving, and practice random acts of meanness instead of kindness at all times. Then we get mad when everything doesn't work out.

If you really want out, figure out what you are in charge of in whatever situation is causing you pain, and change for the better whatever it is you are in charge of. Your attitude, your response, your desire. Positive attitude at all times, kind response in the face of meanness, and a desire for what you have, instead of what you have not. These are life-changing attitudes.

Answer 8

God seems distant because we have swallowed what we have been taught. An individualized, independent being does not have to follow the collective consciousness. God , the Highest, is omnipresent. Save yourself---your imagined dependency on some outside saviour keeps you from at-one-ment now. Pain comes from attachment. Time is another trick of the mind. Eternity exists now.

Answer 9

God is not keeping you in your pain, you are. God seems distant because he's not there quite simply. Take control of your own life and don't expect or rely on god for answers. Get help and support from your family and friends, and if need be, a therapist. Good luck.

Answer 10

past mabe , present its your choice.....future..your might never know what it brings !

"if you had faith in the size of a mustured seed , your could move mountains"

you gotta belive it before you see it!

God made you to be happy health yand whole ,it is you who is making the choices!

trust in God!
"in God we trust " its not written on the us bills for nothing , people who made USA were strong because the ytursted in God . so you my freind have to trust God first !

wish you a VICTORY! because you are the victor and NOT the victim!
Good luck and happy holidays!

Answer 11

God is not distant to anyone who believes in Him. If you open your eyes carefully and look through the quintessence of your life, the world around you and every creations in it, you would learn to appreciate your pain and sufferings. Do not look through the material worth and accidences of any thing that you see but look through the essence of them, why they are coexisting with us in this universe.
I may not be blessed with material gifts, but i look at my family, we are all well, and alive(thank God for that), and really dont have anything to worry too much healthwise.

He gave us the gift of free-will for us to use it, in our own will without His help. It is the will to live, rise above the struggles and the will to sympathize towards others prompting good acts.