When You Feel Spiritually Distant
Your Nightly Prayer
By Angie Grant
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." - James 4:8
SOMETHING TO PONDER
God is always with us; His presence is constant and unchanging. It's not Him who moves, but us. Our experiences and circumstances can sometimes create a false sense of distance, making us feel alone and afraid. James reminds us that we are the ones who need to draw near, to lean in. God is not playing a game of hide and seek with us.
When we find ourselves asking, 'God, where are you?' it's often in seasons where we've tried to do things in our own strength, our own way, without sensing His still small voice that has been calling for our attention all along.
Even before we said yes to Jesus, He was pursuing us. His pursuit of us is relentless, patient, and full of grace.
When I think about parenting and the love we have for our children, I see a glimpse of God's heart. Before our kids can talk, before they understand just how deeply we love them, we are already loving, providing, protecting, and in pursuit of a relationship with them. We don't say, ' Let's wait until they earn it. ' Our hearts are for them from the very beginning.
And even when they pull away, test boundaries, or don't respond the way that we hope, our love doesn't change. It's unconditional—steady and full of hope that they will turn back toward us. That's the love of our Heavenly Father. He waits, and eventually we come close.
We were created with a space in our hearts that only He was meant to fill. Yet we often try to fill it with many other things, only to come up short every time. That's when we sense ourselves drifting spiritually-when life starts to feel dry and barren. But even in our wandering, He doesn't abandon us.
The good news is this: He is close. He's always been close.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Lord,
Thank you for tonight. You are drawing me close. It is I that have wandered. I long to come back to the place where I'm in close fellowship with you. Forgive me for distancing myself from you, and thank you for never leaving me! Please help me to remain sensitive to the still, small voice of your Holy Spirit, which draws me to you.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE ON
1. When have I sensed a "distance" from God, and what circumstances contributed to that feeling?
2. In what ways has God patiently pursued me, even when I wasn't paying attention?
3. What areas of my life am I currently trying to manage in my own strength instead of drawing near to God?
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Anita Kot
Angie holds a degree in Child and Family Studies and currently serves on the staff at Cloverhill Church, where she and her husband have been leading for over 25 years. She is the Executive Director of Cloverhill Christian Academy, located in Midlothian, Virginia. Angie is a dedicated advocate for foster children and families, and also serves as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner, offering support in her community and beyond. In addition to her roles in church and education, Angie contributes her insight and leadership as a board member for Families First and the Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services.
How does she do it all? With purpose and passion—as a coach in family life, ministry, and schools, Angie brings experience, empathy, and a heart for helping others thrive.
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Originally published Monday, 24 November 2025.
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