Does God feel far away?
There comes a time in every Christian's life when God feels distant. This feeling can be confusing, discouraging, or even dangerous.
Distant God meets us in the middle of this struggle. It helps us think rightly about what we're experiencing and gives practical ways for drawing near to God. It answers questions like:
- What does it mean that God is always with me?
- What role do works (like devotion, confession, and repentance) have in all this?
- How should I handle spiritual lows and seasons of doubt?
When we feel distant from God, we need voices of truth speaking into our lives. Drawing from the story of the prodigal son, Chris Nye takes us through various reasons why we may feel this way and offers encouragement along the way.
This is not a book of trite answers or easy solutions, but it offers specific ways of drawing near when God feels distant. It also includes stories of Christians throughout history who have faced this issue in similar ways.
Distant God is a biblical and pastoral answer to why God might feel far away and what we can (and cannot) do about it.
About the Author :
CHRIS NYE is a pastor, writer, and teacher living in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Allison. His writing has appeared in Books & Culture, Leadership Journal, Preaching Today, and various other publications. Currently, Chris serves as a pastor for teaching and leadership development at Willamette Christian Church, a growing community of over 2,000 people. This is his first book.
Review :
"One of the very first things I noticed when I started reading this book was how very much the author, Chris Nye, loves God. And yet, his isn't a message filled with kittens and rainbows. Chris is very honest when he says that at times it feels as if God is far from us. The times when He feels close fades, and we are left questioning if we really experienced them at all. We face trials and wonder where God is. During these experiences the author recommends that we keep praying. We should talk to God about how we feel, and remain obedient. And we should confess the things we have done that we shouldn't have. He also reminds us that we should fast, and he makes the suggestion that instead of jumping right into a three day fast, we try one that lasts from sun up to sundown.
The author gently leads the reader into some truths that may not be so popular. That God allows hardships to come our way. And he reminds us that the Bible tells us we should be grateful for the things that test our faith.
I enjoyed the personal stories and quotes that the author shared. I have many highlighted passages in my kindle and some that I have written down to review again and again. I highly recommend this book. I'm sure that anyone will enjoy how this author, gently, points toward truths--some difficult from the Bible."
Reviewed by Connie Martello on NetGalley, Apr 18, 2016
"I received a preorder of this book, and I have to say that it was a great book. As someone who feels far from God latey this book has been very encouraging. This book doesn't sugar coat things. It also doesn't preach fire & brimstone. Chris tells his readers that it's ok to not be ok. He faces the reality that a lot of times God is distant. Sometimes life just flat out hurts. However he also gives the reader great hope that things can and will get better and that God truly does have a purpose and plan for their life.
I will close with this. One of my favorite quotes from the book says, 'This book began with an acknowledgment of God's distance, of our difficulty in closing the gap between Him and us. Because of sin, things are not as they should be. But just as we hold up this truth, we must hold up with absolute assurance the truth that one day things will be as they should be. Yes, things are not as they should be, but one day they will.' "
Reviewed by Tyler Burns on NetGalley, May 18, 2016
