When You Feel Distant from God during the Holidays

The truth is that we all go through ebbs and flows on our faith journey, but let’s be clear: it isn’t because God is distant from us; it is because we are distant from Him. When our lives become busy, we have stressed relationships, or we fall into a hard season, many times, rather than seeking God’s face and falling on our knees, we bend to our flesh. That could look like harboring a low grumble of complaint in our hearts or succumbing to a multitude of emotions. Sadly, when life takes us on detours, our natural human response may unintentionally push God aside.

Even still, there is hope! In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul is urging the church of Corinth to pause and reflect on their faith. Furthermore, he poses a question to see if they are living in a manner that reflects Christ shining through in them! As we head into this holiday season, take a moment to evaluate your life and check your faith by answering these three questions.

3 Questions to Evaluate Your Life By:

1. What current struggles or challenges are you facing, and what is your natural response?
2. Are you prioritizing your time with God?
3. What are some ways you are reflecting Christ in your daily walk?

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God isn’t asking us to pretend to be okay, nor does He want us to enter this season with angst in our hearts, just mustering through until January 1. The truth of the matter is that God deeply cares about what ales us and longs for us to come to Him. Our prayers open a pathway for Him to grant us peace and deliver hope.  

Jesus drives home this message when He shares with His disciples that they can ask for whatever they need, and it will be given to them in Matthew 21:22. The catch is that we must have faith and believe that God will make good on His promises. 

While God already knows what you are going to ask before you come to Him in prayer, the practice of prayer isn’t for God. It’s for us. It’s to grow us and help us submit to His sovereign authority, knowing that He is the fountain in which all blessings flow. Prayer is also about connecting to our Creator and yearning for an authentic relationship with Him.

This Christmas, we have the sweet opportunity to come before God and ask for His help in reviving our hearts, mending our relationships, seeking peace in the sorrow, and essentially drawing near to Him, leaning into His unwavering love. 

There is no need to be perfect in your prayer, just purposeful. Start by being intentional and making God a priority. Open your heart in praise, giving Him thanks for the blessings He has bestowed in your life. Then, invite Him into the cracks of your heart that need mending.

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This is where we can come clean before God. Perhaps there is a sin or a behavioral pattern that has caused the wedge between you and the Father. When we hold on to those burdens and continue to live with that sin, it weighs us down, and God will certainly feel distant. If you are unsure what could be causing the dissonance, ask yourself if there is a certain relationship that is causing friction or if emotional stress from a past or present situation is striking a nerve, causing you to feel a little uneasy.

As you lift up your heart in prayer, ask God into that space and seek His mercy and grace by confessing the sin and seeking forgiveness. Then read Psalm 51 aloud and invite God into the messy parts of your life, proclaiming His righteousness to have victory over the sin that is captivating your attention and essentially making you a slave. When we cast our burdens unto Him (1 Peter 5:7), we allow God to set us free from those sinful chains. What a precious gift!

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So often, we can get caught up in the commercial side of Christmas, even if we realize we are doing it, or it just comes on unintentionally. We do all the things from planning to hosting and baking a bunch of goodies to overdecorating and then buying more and more because, deep down, we want to create special memories and unforgettable moments for our kiddos. 

As a mom of two teens and a nine-year-old who still holds tight to all the magic, as much as I “try” to usher in the holidays with everything holly and jolly, I find that I burn out really fast. When that joy gets replaced with “busyness,” frustration grows, and unrealistic expectations become barriers to my family’s happiness. 

Don’t get me wrong, we can have the best of intentions and even try to keep events and activities focused on Jesus, but when we (and our families, for that matter) are stretched thin, we fail to rest in the real gift of peace that God extends to us.

If God feels distant this year, take a breather and step away from it all. Get quiet and still before Him; just you, alone. Open up your Bible and read the Christmas story found in Luke 2. Let the happenings of that glorious night really resonate with you. This is what the season is all about: the sheer and simple fact that our King came into this world in the simplest and most modest way possible, making way for you to do the same.

Amid all the hustle and bustle, which in some ways there is no escaping, take time to simply celebrate the joy and wonder of our King Jesus. It’s okay to keep it memorable but minimal. All Jesus wants from us this time of year (and every day that follows, for that matter) is our heart, so let’s give it to Him!

Father God,
Thank you for the precious gift of Your Son and for the sweet blessings and promises His birth brings. Please open my eyes to the wonders of Your love this season and soften my heart to recognize that even if I don’t feel Your divine presence, You are always with me. I love you.
Amen.

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