One of the joys and pains of being a ‘pastor’ is practicing what I preach. Particularly when it’s challenging, and let’s be honest - being a Christian is often challenging.
So this week I challenged our people at West Oaks Church to fast and pray. Whether it be a meal, a day or whatever, use your time of hunger as a chance to pray and get closer to the Lord.
So I found myself today in my prayer time saying ‘God, I just don’t feel very close to you these days.’And as I began to think about why, it clicked - I’ve chosen other things besides being with Him. I’ve chosen mindless entertainment, solitude and isolation, distractions and even anger over time with the Lord. It was like God was saying ‘you’ve had time, you just chose not to.’
Oof. And funny enough it was like the Lord reminded me of that great little verse in James 4 that continues to echo today - vs 8 “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” It continues on - “cleanse your hands, sinners and purify your heart, you double minded.”
I think we all feel like we could be closer to God. Often it’s moments of pain, loneliness or sorry that bring us to that revelation. I believe God does that for good reason. That’s often where we realize how much we need Him. But it doesn’t have to be the only place. Sometimes we just need to stop, and spend time with Him.
So let me encourage you today - all of us who desire a relationship with God feel like we could be closer to Him. Sometimes it’s a matter of choice. Sometimes it’s a matter of timing. Regardless, the Lord always has enough of Himself to share with everyone. So if you feel distant from the Lord, stop and tell Him. Sometimes it’s as simple as ‘God I want to know you better. Not sure what that looks like, but help me.’
If you want to be closer to God, start somewhere. Start today.