The New Loneliness Devotionalනියැදිය

As Close as Your Breath

Do you sometimes feel like God is far away?

Heartbreak, struggles, hurts from the past, unanswered prayers, or filling your schedule with everything but Him can make you believe God is distant. But Scripture abounds with evidence that He is as close to you as the air you breathe.

When we feel like God is far away, it’s often because we are the ones who have distanced ourselves. Perhaps other loves have stolen our heart. The feeling that He’s distant can be an indicator that we need to put ourselves in the position where we can sense His presence, hear His voice, notice His work around us, and invite Him closer to our hearts.

How can you be assured God is right next to you?

Take a Divine Pause—Sometimes we can’t sense God’s presence because there’s too much of everything else going on. Too much noise. Too much confusion. Too much anxiety. Too many apps or windows open. Too many voices and thoughts running through our minds. Center your mind on Him (Colossians 3:1-2) and start to breathe deeply. Try it. Exhale the distracting thoughts. Inhale a desire to sense His presence. Exhale your preoccupation with self. Inhale a desire to know Him more completely. Exhale the worries of the moment. Inhale his peace. Now, don’t you feel closer to His heart already? There’s a reason His Word says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 ESV).

Whisper His Name—There are times we need God but we just don’t know what to say or where to begin. Start by saying His name and then speak your heart’s cry. Scripture says there is power in the name of Jesus, not only because “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 NIV), but because Jesus responds to His name when His loved ones call to Him.

The writers of the classics called this type of whispering cry “breath prayers.” My breath prayers to sense His presence are “Jesus, I need You,” or “Jesus, give me a heart for You.” Calling upon His name is one of the simplest ways to sense His presence. And I believe the simplest of cries are the ones that penetrate His heart—and ours—the quickest.

Read His Word Aloud—God speaks to us through His Word. And one of the best ways to sense His presence is to get into His Word and ask His Holy Spirit to guide you into a better understanding of it. When you read God’s Word, and even speak it audibly, you will sense its power and His presence. The Bible says God’s Word is “living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). That sharp sword will prick your heart through conviction, inspiration, enlightenment, or determination. A pricked heart is better than a numb, dull, or complacent heart any day, so get into His Word and find Him there.

Start Praising Him—God inhabits the praises of His people. When you start praising God regardless of where you are, you’ll sense His presence, probably because you’re no longer focused on yourself, but on Him. When you open the door of your heart to love Him, He will meet you there. Every time. In fact, Psalm 34:18 in The Message assures us God is always just a breath away…or just as close as our own breath: "If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath."

Lord, Thank You for never hiding from me. Your Word says I will find You when I search for You with all my heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Make Your presence known as close and real as the air I breathe.