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by Ami Samuels

“As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for God.” (Psalm 42:1)

Have you ever felt like God was distant from you, and you’re crying out, “God, where are you?”

Several years ago my family and I had moved to a new city and I remember feeling much like David did in Psalm 42. Only my exact words were, “God, I need to see glimpses of you, somewhere.” I was going to church, involved in Bible study, volunteering, and serving, yet I felt distant from God. There are several reasons this can happen. Sin and disobedience separate us from God.

In this particular season of my life, I would say that it was my disobedience that was causing this distance from God. I was busy doing what I thought I should do, rather than listening to God. I thought I had it all figured out.

In Luke 10:38 we find Jesus as a guest in the home of a woman named Martha. Martha was distracted and busy with all of the preparations that had to be made for their guest. Her sister Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to him. Martha became upset and asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus responded in Luke 10:41, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary had chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Like Martha, there are plenty of “good things” that we can busy ourselves with, but Jesus said, that Mary had chosen what was best, sitting at His feet listening.

God was telling me to “Be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). My argument was, “’Be still?!’ You can’t possibly mean ‘Be still!’ I have all day to serve you while my husband is at work and my kids are in school.” He never left me – He was just silent, patiently waiting on me to quiet my Spirit, listen, and obey Him.

If you feel like God is silent and you are longing to hear his voice, I would encourage you to read through the Psalms, spend time in prayer, and examine your life. Ask God to show you if there is any unconfessed sin or disobedience in your life that is hindering you from hearing His voice.

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