It is easy to feel connected to God when things are going great in life—when He has provided food, friends, family, health, and happy situations. But have you discovered that circumstances are not always pleasant? What do you do when God seems a million miles away?
The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering to Him while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant. Friendships are often tested by separation and silence. In your friendship with God, you won’t always feel close to Him. As one author wrote, “Any relationship involves times of closeness and times of distance, and in a relationship with God, no matter how intimate, the pendulum will swing from one side to the other.” That’s when worship gets difficult.
Our relationship with God develops a deep maturity during times when it appears God is silent or when He feels a million miles away. Many in the community of faith have described these times as “the dark night of the soul.” Henri Nouwen called them “the ministry of absence.” A. W. Tozer called them “the ministry of the night.” Others refer to “the winter of the heart.” In the Bible, David had a close friendship with God. In fact, God took pleasure in calling him “a man after My own heart.” Yet, David frequently complained of God’s apparent absence:
• “Lord, why are You standing aloof and far away? Why do You hide when I need You the most?” (Psalm 10:1)
• “Why have You forsaken me? Why do You remain so distant? Why do You ignore my cries for help?” (Psalm 22:1)
• “Why have You abandoned me?” (Psalm 43:2)
In reality, God hadn’t really left David, and He doesn’t leave you. He has promised repeatedly, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
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