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When God Isn't There: Why God Is Farther than You Think but Closer than You Dare Imagine
Why does God feel so far away? Why is my worship so empty? Has God left me?
David Bowden knows these questions firsthand, having wrestled for years with God’s apparent absence and studying what the Bible says about it. In this new book, Bowden tackles the subject head-on, finding the key to understanding it in the Bible’s depiction of a God who is infinitely far from us, free to move where he wants, but who chooses to come near in the person of Jesus.
A resource of encouragement for those who struggle with feeling God’s absence and a wake-up call to those who take God’s presence for granted, When God Isn’t There will forever change your understanding of why God sometimes seems to vanish and how he can be found again.
Praise for the work of When God Isn't There:
“A must-read for anyone who’s felt far from God.”
—Bobby Gruenewald, LifeChurch Innovation Leader and a founder of YouVersion
“A masterful treatment of what it means to suffer the pain of God’s apparent absence and the inexpressible joy of feeling his presence.”
—Sam Storms, lead pastor for Teaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church
“David wrestles with theological concepts in a down-to-earth way. . . . Many will benefit from this very helpful book.”
—Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan
David Bowden knows these questions firsthand, having wrestled for years with God’s apparent absence and studying what the Bible says about it. In this new book, Bowden tackles the subject head-on, finding the key to understanding it in the Bible’s depiction of a God who is infinitely far from us, free to move where he wants, but who chooses to come near in the person of Jesus.
A resource of encouragement for those who struggle with feeling God’s absence and a wake-up call to those who take God’s presence for granted, When God Isn’t There will forever change your understanding of why God sometimes seems to vanish and how he can be found again.
Praise for the work of When God Isn't There:
“A must-read for anyone who’s felt far from God.”
—Bobby Gruenewald, LifeChurch Innovation Leader and a founder of YouVersion
“A masterful treatment of what it means to suffer the pain of God’s apparent absence and the inexpressible joy of feeling his presence.”
—Sam Storms, lead pastor for Teaching and Vision, Bridgeway Church
“David wrestles with theological concepts in a down-to-earth way. . . . Many will benefit from this very helpful book.”
—Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan
- GenresChristianity
272 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2016
20 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
David Bowden
3 books207 followersDavid Bowden is a spoken word poet, author and preacher from Oklahoma City. He is the author of When God Isn’t There and the forthcoming Rewire Your Heart. David is the co-founder of Kleer Series (www.kleerseries.com), an evangelistic resource for post-church young people in the UK. He has produced three poetry albums, three DVDs and one book of poetry. He is the founder and president of The Poetic Inc., a non-profit dedicated to creating gospel-centered content (www.spokengospel.com). David is married to his wife, Meagan, and serves as the Artist in Residence at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 14, 2024
I felt this book did a good job walking a Christian through the “absence” we sometimes feel from God. The author is a poet, and it shows throughout these chapters: there is a pattern of restating previous points in different ways to deliver the same message.
Overall this a is a great book for people who are looking for more in their spiritual life and those who feel that absence.
Overall this a is a great book for people who are looking for more in their spiritual life and those who feel that absence.
October 23, 2016
[Note: This book was provided by BookLook/Nelson Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
How does one know one is reading a book by a Calvinist? Well, there are a few signs. The author spends his time alternatively flagellating the audience and himself, makes plenty of positive references to the overrated John Piper (particularly his work on Desiring God), and even approvingly quotes the Westminister Assembly. One can also tell by the way that the author casually tosses around unbiblical phrases like total depravity and makes the book probably about 50% longer than it need have been in the hands of a skillful and less repetitive author. My own thoughts and reflections on the negative nature of Calvinism in our political and religious discourse is sufficiently extensive that it does not need to be repeated here [1]. Suffice it to say that this book is the justification of the absence of God by someone who writes without the sort of graciousness and Christian charity that one would expect. It is a classic example of "feel-bad" Christianity, one that prides itself on a certain erudition and has a lot to say against contemporary Christian practice but does not itself come from the sort of heart that is right with God. It reads like the killjoy Pharisees of the Gospels claiming to be near God and castigating the crowds for their superstition and emotionally-focused worship.
That said, despite the defectiveness of the religious worldview of the author, the contents of this book are deeply interesting and thoughtful and clearly the author is one who has struggled with the absence of God and the problems of reconciliation with both God and man, a subject of obvious and serious personal interest. In these pages one gets a sense of knowing the author for who he is, someone a bit insecure about his place among the elect, someone who feels it necessary to be compulsively honest about his courtship with his wife and his struggle to relate to his father, and his candor is something that must be counted highly in his favor, even if there is a lot about this book that rubs the reader the wrong way, like the bad poetry that begins every one of the book's sections. The book's chapters seek some sort of humor, but the book's sections make the contents of the book plain. The first section of the book talks about when God isn't there, looking at the types of presence and absence that are the case for God simultaneously. After that the author looks at our pursuit of an absent God through a discussion of a couple of layers of the Song of Solomon. The author has some harsh things to say about contemporary Christianity in his discussion on God's presence and the Church, and offers a mea culpa for a misuse of the discussion of congregational discipline in a previous book. Section four of the book discusses areas of affliction, abandonment, and absence, while the fifth section of the book discusses the gospel of nearness and contains a great deal of speculation about the afterlife before ending in acknowledgments and notes.
How is one to think about this book? A patient reader will see in it a celebration of the workings of God among the elect in granting us nearness by covering over our sins with the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, so that we may be viewed judicially as being without blame. The author, for all of his faults, clearly has wrestled seriously with God's absence both in life and in scripture, even if his discussion of the matter is highly colored by his own Calvinist thinking. For example, towards the end of the book he discusses hell in a way that is not biblical but is clearly colored by the hellfire and damnation sermons of the Great Awakening, discussing the torments of unbelievers and of Satan the devil himself in the absence of God. Perhaps his deepest insight with regards to absence in the life of believers is that what hurts the most is when there is absence given the history and the expectation of presence. When we are close to people whose hearts are far from us, when we see others act close with those around them but pointedly ignore us and act like we do not exist, it is hard not to feel a great deal of pain about that if we are sensitive to such matters. Whether or not one agrees with the perspective of the author, and I do not, this book is worthwhile in bringing to light a matter of genuine and frequent concern, and that is the way that we are often absent in our relationships with God and with others, and that because of our sins and corruption, God makes himself absent from us. That is something worth reflecting on often and deeply, in the hope that we may find reconciliation with God and man.
[1] See, for example:
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https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
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https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
How does one know one is reading a book by a Calvinist? Well, there are a few signs. The author spends his time alternatively flagellating the audience and himself, makes plenty of positive references to the overrated John Piper (particularly his work on Desiring God), and even approvingly quotes the Westminister Assembly. One can also tell by the way that the author casually tosses around unbiblical phrases like total depravity and makes the book probably about 50% longer than it need have been in the hands of a skillful and less repetitive author. My own thoughts and reflections on the negative nature of Calvinism in our political and religious discourse is sufficiently extensive that it does not need to be repeated here [1]. Suffice it to say that this book is the justification of the absence of God by someone who writes without the sort of graciousness and Christian charity that one would expect. It is a classic example of "feel-bad" Christianity, one that prides itself on a certain erudition and has a lot to say against contemporary Christian practice but does not itself come from the sort of heart that is right with God. It reads like the killjoy Pharisees of the Gospels claiming to be near God and castigating the crowds for their superstition and emotionally-focused worship.
That said, despite the defectiveness of the religious worldview of the author, the contents of this book are deeply interesting and thoughtful and clearly the author is one who has struggled with the absence of God and the problems of reconciliation with both God and man, a subject of obvious and serious personal interest. In these pages one gets a sense of knowing the author for who he is, someone a bit insecure about his place among the elect, someone who feels it necessary to be compulsively honest about his courtship with his wife and his struggle to relate to his father, and his candor is something that must be counted highly in his favor, even if there is a lot about this book that rubs the reader the wrong way, like the bad poetry that begins every one of the book's sections. The book's chapters seek some sort of humor, but the book's sections make the contents of the book plain. The first section of the book talks about when God isn't there, looking at the types of presence and absence that are the case for God simultaneously. After that the author looks at our pursuit of an absent God through a discussion of a couple of layers of the Song of Solomon. The author has some harsh things to say about contemporary Christianity in his discussion on God's presence and the Church, and offers a mea culpa for a misuse of the discussion of congregational discipline in a previous book. Section four of the book discusses areas of affliction, abandonment, and absence, while the fifth section of the book discusses the gospel of nearness and contains a great deal of speculation about the afterlife before ending in acknowledgments and notes.
How is one to think about this book? A patient reader will see in it a celebration of the workings of God among the elect in granting us nearness by covering over our sins with the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, so that we may be viewed judicially as being without blame. The author, for all of his faults, clearly has wrestled seriously with God's absence both in life and in scripture, even if his discussion of the matter is highly colored by his own Calvinist thinking. For example, towards the end of the book he discusses hell in a way that is not biblical but is clearly colored by the hellfire and damnation sermons of the Great Awakening, discussing the torments of unbelievers and of Satan the devil himself in the absence of God. Perhaps his deepest insight with regards to absence in the life of believers is that what hurts the most is when there is absence given the history and the expectation of presence. When we are close to people whose hearts are far from us, when we see others act close with those around them but pointedly ignore us and act like we do not exist, it is hard not to feel a great deal of pain about that if we are sensitive to such matters. Whether or not one agrees with the perspective of the author, and I do not, this book is worthwhile in bringing to light a matter of genuine and frequent concern, and that is the way that we are often absent in our relationships with God and with others, and that because of our sins and corruption, God makes himself absent from us. That is something worth reflecting on often and deeply, in the hope that we may find reconciliation with God and man.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...
November 29, 2021
I was surprised by Bowden’s poetic and creative writing style. I liked it and it reminded me of the need for more Christian nonfiction to take on a story telling feel instead of just didactic. He uses a lot of examples, and analogies that he brings back later to his message. I enjoyed it. There were parts where I felt theologically it may have been too deep for my comprehension or understanding. And it took me a while to get through. Nevertheless it was a warming read. It reminded me that God was always there and explained very well the balance of God’s justice, sovereignty and love. I picked this book up when I was in a pit of despair and am glad I did.
June 17, 2018
Bowden discusses a lot of really important and really applicable ideas in this book that I think every Christian should dwell on, especially young adults. The repetitive writing holds it back—with so many lists of three examples or one idea said three ways, it’s obvious he’s used to writing poetry. But as long as you’re good with that, the content is theologically sound, relevant for today and isn’t really something that’s been talked about in popular Christian writing.
EDIT:
I had a good friend point out that my review makes it seem like I believe Bowden’s poetry to be bad. It’s actually quite the opposite. His poetry is beautiful, deep, approachable and theologically sound. I highly recommend you check it out, especially if you can see him perform it in person. My only point in this review is that I believe he leaned too much on poetic tendencies in writing this book.
I also want to make it very clear that I DO recommend you read this book. I gave it 3 stars which can be confusing, so to help, here’s how I use the 5 star rating system:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - one of my all time favorite books
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - an incredible book that I loved
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - a good, solid book
⭐️⭐️ - an okay book you can probably skip
⭐️ - not a good book so don’t read
EDIT:
I had a good friend point out that my review makes it seem like I believe Bowden’s poetry to be bad. It’s actually quite the opposite. His poetry is beautiful, deep, approachable and theologically sound. I highly recommend you check it out, especially if you can see him perform it in person. My only point in this review is that I believe he leaned too much on poetic tendencies in writing this book.
I also want to make it very clear that I DO recommend you read this book. I gave it 3 stars which can be confusing, so to help, here’s how I use the 5 star rating system:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - one of my all time favorite books
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - an incredible book that I loved
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - a good, solid book
⭐️⭐️ - an okay book you can probably skip
⭐️ - not a good book so don’t read
October 31, 2022
I appreciated his clever phrasing of theological topics, although I was less enamored with his poetry. He gets off topic about modern worship songs and the last four chapters were more straightforward and familiar to me than the other chapters. I liked his focus on the dark night of the soul and found some good quotes scattered throughout the book. It was a good theological read, even if it may not agree with some readers (I was surprised at the low ratings for this book, but then again, it is a sensitive topic with no simple answers).
April 3, 2024
Definitely recommend this book to anyone struggling with sometimes feeling like God is not there. It helped change my focus and perspective on my relationship with God. It also opens up for further personal exploration for myself while I am reading the Bible. I now will be keeping in mind whether God is appearing absent or is involved in the parts that I am reading. I finally finished this book though haha it took me three years. The reason was the book in 2021 got waterlogged and I finally this year downloaded the book to at least finish the book.
April 8, 2021
Fantastic book
I picked this up because I have had frequent feelings the last couple year that God is distant. This book helped with that but David Bowden explains so much more and he does it beautifully. I am a subscriber and supporter of Spoken Gospel in YouTube so I should have expected as much but it still was a refreshing and pleasant surprise.
I picked this up because I have had frequent feelings the last couple year that God is distant. This book helped with that but David Bowden explains so much more and he does it beautifully. I am a subscriber and supporter of Spoken Gospel in YouTube so I should have expected as much but it still was a refreshing and pleasant surprise.
September 11, 2020
Great Book
This book was not what I was expecting. It was so much more. Bowden helps the reader understand why God feels so far away. I was deeply moved to feeling closer to God and desiring His presence more. This may not make sense but it will after reading the book.
This book was not what I was expecting. It was so much more. Bowden helps the reader understand why God feels so far away. I was deeply moved to feeling closer to God and desiring His presence more. This may not make sense but it will after reading the book.
August 11, 2021
One of the best books that I have read in a long time! I highly recommend it. You will find great encouragement here.
December 27, 2023
Words could never describe my love and admiration for David Bowden’s writings!!!!!
November 19, 2016
Had I paid more attention to the author bio, I would not have chosen to review this book. David Bowden is a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary writing his first book. In When God Isn’t There: Why God is Farther Than You Think, but Closer Than You Dare Imagine, Bowden relies heavily on contemporary neo-Calvinist megastars for its inconsistent theological perspective and explanation. After fifty pages in I wanted to put it down, but I finished it and found all the same pat answers given by neo-Calvinists for the problems at hand. Bowden simply tries to makes his life experience apply to these teachings or vice versa. If you’re not already a thoroughly indoctrinated Calvinist, then you will find little helpful in this text; on the contrary, you might discover more problems and be sent into a worse place if asking questions related to the title. Basically, Bowden says God is always present, and if you’re in pain it’s because he caused it—either to cause repentance or to teach you something. If God feels absent, it’s because he wants you to miss him or because you’re in sin, which he caused because he causes everything to happen (so the theology goes). It’s horrendously harmful and unhelpful theology, and I cannot recommend it.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 31, 2017
All Christians want more of God but there are times when He feels very distant. In When God Isn’t There by David Bowden, he gives many reasons about how God is always there but not as close as people desire. God works on His own time and His people need to be patient. God is really there and has put His seal on all as a reminder. Often, people expect to find God only at church. God is not trapped in a church building. Church is about bringing God glory and not about how everyone feels after an enlightening service. God came as Jesus to the earth so that He would always be present. He is always there, present and working.
The message in this book is very clear: God is there but distance is good. It is through suffering and searching for Him that enable people to draw near to Him. At times, the main idea of this book may seem a little cruel; that God is far because of what people on earth make God out to be. For example, sin distances one from God. Also, making contemporary church services all about us rather than about God’s glory. However, God has torn the veil that separated all from Him. And one day, He will come back so that every one of His people may dwell with Him on the new earth.
I received a free copy of this book from http://www.booklookbloggers.com/. The ideas are all my own.
The message in this book is very clear: God is there but distance is good. It is through suffering and searching for Him that enable people to draw near to Him. At times, the main idea of this book may seem a little cruel; that God is far because of what people on earth make God out to be. For example, sin distances one from God. Also, making contemporary church services all about us rather than about God’s glory. However, God has torn the veil that separated all from Him. And one day, He will come back so that every one of His people may dwell with Him on the new earth.
I received a free copy of this book from http://www.booklookbloggers.com/. The ideas are all my own.
December 19, 2016
I recevied a complimentary copy.
Yikes, this author has a lot of views and is very forthcoming with them. It just did not feel right to me to read, but I am a reviewer and for the sake of finishing, I did. While I am not a set faith, I do have strong belief in God. I do not ask that anyone bend or side with anything they are not comfortable with and this book may do just that.
The author probably just chose a poor topic that he might not be especially well versed in. I would not turn down the chance to read a second book by this author, but I would not take what he has to say to heart.
Yikes, this author has a lot of views and is very forthcoming with them. It just did not feel right to me to read, but I am a reviewer and for the sake of finishing, I did. While I am not a set faith, I do have strong belief in God. I do not ask that anyone bend or side with anything they are not comfortable with and this book may do just that.
The author probably just chose a poor topic that he might not be especially well versed in. I would not turn down the chance to read a second book by this author, but I would not take what he has to say to heart.
March 30, 2017
The only place the book really suffered is when Bowden attempted to address the issue of suffering. That's a tough issue for anyone, but he takes a VERY Reformed position, even adding in a poem before the section that abortions are ordained by God, yet God isn't responsible for the sin that takes place even when He ordains it. The whole reformed approach just makes something like a family member committing suicide or a rape as something God made happen to you to teach you something about life. I really doubt that that will help many who aren't already convinced of the Reformed position.
Other than that section though, I enjoyed the book.
Other than that section though, I enjoyed the book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews