What do you think?
Rate this book
Distant God: Why He Feels Far Away...And What We Can Do About It
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
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.
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
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.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2016
12 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Chris Nye
17 books5 followersCHRIS NYE is a pastor, writer, and teacher living in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Allison. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Books & Culture and various other publications. He serves as Director for the School of Ministry at San Francisco City Impact and a pastor at San Francisco Worship Center. He spends his days teaching theology and training leaders to serve in the inner city. You can learn more at www.sfcityimpact.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2017
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Moody Publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
As a resident of the Portland area, I find it striking how many people feel called to write books and are published as Christian authors from this area given the general lack of religious faith among the population of the area at large. Be that as it may, this book comes with an interesting concept in talking about the intimacy of mankind with God and why this often falls short of our own expectations. It is clear from looking at this book and the people it cites [1] that the author is clearly well-read. Whether or not the author is the most fit person to write at length about this subject is a different issue, but the subject matter is clearly worthwhile and the issue of intimacy with God is something that many believers struggle with, especially when we look at the wide gulf between the biblical ideal for intimacy with God and the terror people have of God's presence and our own emotional longings and often incorrect views of God.
In terms of its contents, this is a short book at just under 200 pages that is divided into three parts and thirteen relatively short chapters. The author first talks about how we measure the distance between ourselves and God in our longing to be near to God, how we determine who is being distant, how we find out where we are, and adjusting our expectations to what is proper. After that the author spends six chapters talking about how we close the distance between ourselves and God through paired sets of principles, namely: abiding/obeying, praying/listening, confessing/repenting, preahcing/receiving, feasting/fasting, and trusting/releasing. The author then closes his discussion with three chapters on how we can go the distance in our Christian walk by looking at the road, the defense, and the promise. Throughout the author includes a lot of comments about his generation and his own life and marriage and his own interest in the learning he received from Jesuits in high school even if he is no longer a Catholic. The book has a strong ecumenical feel to it, as the author shows himself to be deeply interested in approaches from Catholics and from other ecumenically-minded professed Christians.
There are at least a couple of things that bother me about this book despite the fact that I really like its subject matter. For one, the author appears to be very willing to use language that is unbiblical despite the fact that he shows himself to be critical of those who try to preach tradition rather than scripture. Towards the beginning the author's references to the fictitious Trinity, for example, are more than a little bit bothersome. The other issue I have with this book is that it feels as if the author has not really lived enough to write this sort of book. This is a book that seems to come from the author's intellect, from his knowledge in reading and from the early stages of his walk with God. One wonders if there will not be a later book, perhaps even a memoir, where the author discusses his uneven struggle with intimacy that will serve as an ironic comment to the author's presumption to speak about it here. Wisely, the author has a lot more to say about the theory about intimacy than about its execution and practice, given the author's comparative inexperience. The author may be a bit too much of a novice, but this book surely shows a firm grasp of a lot of good writing about intimacy with God and with fellow believers, enough to make it well worth reading.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
As a resident of the Portland area, I find it striking how many people feel called to write books and are published as Christian authors from this area given the general lack of religious faith among the population of the area at large. Be that as it may, this book comes with an interesting concept in talking about the intimacy of mankind with God and why this often falls short of our own expectations. It is clear from looking at this book and the people it cites [1] that the author is clearly well-read. Whether or not the author is the most fit person to write at length about this subject is a different issue, but the subject matter is clearly worthwhile and the issue of intimacy with God is something that many believers struggle with, especially when we look at the wide gulf between the biblical ideal for intimacy with God and the terror people have of God's presence and our own emotional longings and often incorrect views of God.
In terms of its contents, this is a short book at just under 200 pages that is divided into three parts and thirteen relatively short chapters. The author first talks about how we measure the distance between ourselves and God in our longing to be near to God, how we determine who is being distant, how we find out where we are, and adjusting our expectations to what is proper. After that the author spends six chapters talking about how we close the distance between ourselves and God through paired sets of principles, namely: abiding/obeying, praying/listening, confessing/repenting, preahcing/receiving, feasting/fasting, and trusting/releasing. The author then closes his discussion with three chapters on how we can go the distance in our Christian walk by looking at the road, the defense, and the promise. Throughout the author includes a lot of comments about his generation and his own life and marriage and his own interest in the learning he received from Jesuits in high school even if he is no longer a Catholic. The book has a strong ecumenical feel to it, as the author shows himself to be deeply interested in approaches from Catholics and from other ecumenically-minded professed Christians.
There are at least a couple of things that bother me about this book despite the fact that I really like its subject matter. For one, the author appears to be very willing to use language that is unbiblical despite the fact that he shows himself to be critical of those who try to preach tradition rather than scripture. Towards the beginning the author's references to the fictitious Trinity, for example, are more than a little bit bothersome. The other issue I have with this book is that it feels as if the author has not really lived enough to write this sort of book. This is a book that seems to come from the author's intellect, from his knowledge in reading and from the early stages of his walk with God. One wonders if there will not be a later book, perhaps even a memoir, where the author discusses his uneven struggle with intimacy that will serve as an ironic comment to the author's presumption to speak about it here. Wisely, the author has a lot more to say about the theory about intimacy than about its execution and practice, given the author's comparative inexperience. The author may be a bit too much of a novice, but this book surely shows a firm grasp of a lot of good writing about intimacy with God and with fellow believers, enough to make it well worth reading.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
May 15, 2016
We Christians know we are living in the presence of God and are to take that presence seriously. But what if we don't feel close to God?
While it is part of being human to long for God's presence, Nye also explains how humans feel far from God – a result of the Fall. We became self-absorbed. “There is no faster way to move away from God than to move further in on yourself.”
Nye reminds us we are living in a world bathed with God's presence. God is interacting with us in more ways than we realize. We must distinguish God's presence and our feelings of closeness. We must do the hard work of remembering He is always near as the feelings of closeness will come and go. Nye challenges us about our inattentiveness. “If being near to God is about paying attention to God's nearness to us, then we have work to do.” He emphasizes Scriptural reading and prayer as important spiritual disciplines in obedience to the command to abide. He also encourages confessions, feasting and fasting, preaching the gospel to one's self, and more.
I really appreciated Nye's teaching. He reminded me of our longing to experience God's presence yet our bent to live a life very distracted from concentrating on recognizing that presence. Granted, feelings come and go. There is much we can do, however, to place ourselves in a position to realize and experience the nearness of God. Abiding is the key and that takes time and effort.
I highly recommend this book to those who want to understand why God may feel distant. You will be confronted with your own expectations and your responsibility of obedience to the command to abide. You will also find practical suggestions in making abiding a lifestyle.
Food for thought: “God's nearness is mostly about our recognizing that God is always near through His Spirit.”
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
While it is part of being human to long for God's presence, Nye also explains how humans feel far from God – a result of the Fall. We became self-absorbed. “There is no faster way to move away from God than to move further in on yourself.”
Nye reminds us we are living in a world bathed with God's presence. God is interacting with us in more ways than we realize. We must distinguish God's presence and our feelings of closeness. We must do the hard work of remembering He is always near as the feelings of closeness will come and go. Nye challenges us about our inattentiveness. “If being near to God is about paying attention to God's nearness to us, then we have work to do.” He emphasizes Scriptural reading and prayer as important spiritual disciplines in obedience to the command to abide. He also encourages confessions, feasting and fasting, preaching the gospel to one's self, and more.
I really appreciated Nye's teaching. He reminded me of our longing to experience God's presence yet our bent to live a life very distracted from concentrating on recognizing that presence. Granted, feelings come and go. There is much we can do, however, to place ourselves in a position to realize and experience the nearness of God. Abiding is the key and that takes time and effort.
I highly recommend this book to those who want to understand why God may feel distant. You will be confronted with your own expectations and your responsibility of obedience to the command to abide. You will also find practical suggestions in making abiding a lifestyle.
Food for thought: “God's nearness is mostly about our recognizing that God is always near through His Spirit.”
I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
April 19, 2016
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.
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.
May 7, 2020
This was a great book about those times we feel God is distant. My only issue is that Nye only addresses those time that God feels distant because we move away. While Nye does an excellent job at discussing the ways in which we make God feel more distant than God truly is, he fails to address anyone who feels distant from God through no fault of their own. While the qualification might have detracted from Nye’s main point, I feel as though it is an important qualification that should have been addressed at some point. Still, this book does excellently address the main point.
January 7, 2022
We've had many discussions in Bible study about why God seems silent during times when we desperately need to hear his voice. When big decisions need to be made, I don't understand why God makes us figure everything out the hard way. So, I picked up this book thinking it might have some answers. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the book very much. There were some new thoughts to think, and ideas from Scripture to consider. I was reminded of a verse that my Dad had engraved on one of his Bibles. "Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you." We can't give up. :)
June 8, 2019
Ahh-Haa! This book is full of such moments. Chris Nye provides a clear focus on how to break through the rhetoric and theology to experience Jesus in our daily lives. Read this with seven women in age from mid-20's to 70 and each found new insight and help.
November 30, 2018
I heard Chris speak at a conference and it was excellent, but I would not recommend this book. Three stars for a handful of good quotable thoughts. Overall, two stars for content and writing style.
February 9, 2017
A lot of good stuff in this, but it's all from a synergist perspective soooooo there's that.
February 5, 2017
About the Book:
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.
My Review:
A distant God doesn't seem like such a faraway concept when you are struggling down in the ditch with little or no hope. A distant God is exactly how you feel He is. As far away as ever with no hope of Him returning. The author explores the possibility that maybe it is us who has made a gap or has distanced ourselves from the Father. Not only does he speak to you through scripture but also through his own experiences and lessons and those of others.
The author takes you on a journey through the how's and why's of this most complicated yet so simple relationship with God. He gives very easy and simple solutions to help fill that gap and get you on with your relationship with the Lord to take it to a much deeper and fulfilling level.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
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.
My Review:
A distant God doesn't seem like such a faraway concept when you are struggling down in the ditch with little or no hope. A distant God is exactly how you feel He is. As far away as ever with no hope of Him returning. The author explores the possibility that maybe it is us who has made a gap or has distanced ourselves from the Father. Not only does he speak to you through scripture but also through his own experiences and lessons and those of others.
The author takes you on a journey through the how's and why's of this most complicated yet so simple relationship with God. He gives very easy and simple solutions to help fill that gap and get you on with your relationship with the Lord to take it to a much deeper and fulfilling level.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
April 19, 2016
The reality of our relationships is simple; our actions toward others are tied to our intimacy with others. The trembling sense for the hereness of God is the assumption of our being accountable to Him. God awareness is not an act of God being known to man; it is the awareness of man's being known by God. In thinking about Him we are thought by Him.
We are created for relationships and intimacy. To be known and to know. Being created in the image of God, we long for intimacy. The teaching of why we may feel distant from God is done in three parts. Measuring the Distance, Closing the Distance and Going the Distance.
I like when a study goes back to the beginning. In measuring the distance we are brought back to when Adam and Eve were with God, they were the most content before the fall. It is the act of being like God, the distance occurred. Their story is our story. Just has Adam and Eve hid, God sought and redeemed. God seeks, we hide. The bible is God's story in how He seeks.
In closing the distance, the study is centered around obedience and repentance. Reminding the reader that sin reflects our desire for ourselves than who God is. Repentance always brings us back to God and changes our desires.
Going the distance is holding up the truth. Being a truth seeker and resting in the assurance that all things will be as they should be. Our satisfaction is not of this world but in the world to come.
A good study always reflects the problem and what God does to ramify the problem. This was done well with encouragement and truth. It is up to us receive the truth and to place our faith to that truth and not on false promises. What I found for myself in doing this study is how my desires are different from God. When His desires become mine, the distant gap closes.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
We are created for relationships and intimacy. To be known and to know. Being created in the image of God, we long for intimacy. The teaching of why we may feel distant from God is done in three parts. Measuring the Distance, Closing the Distance and Going the Distance.
I like when a study goes back to the beginning. In measuring the distance we are brought back to when Adam and Eve were with God, they were the most content before the fall. It is the act of being like God, the distance occurred. Their story is our story. Just has Adam and Eve hid, God sought and redeemed. God seeks, we hide. The bible is God's story in how He seeks.
In closing the distance, the study is centered around obedience and repentance. Reminding the reader that sin reflects our desire for ourselves than who God is. Repentance always brings us back to God and changes our desires.
Going the distance is holding up the truth. Being a truth seeker and resting in the assurance that all things will be as they should be. Our satisfaction is not of this world but in the world to come.
A good study always reflects the problem and what God does to ramify the problem. This was done well with encouragement and truth. It is up to us receive the truth and to place our faith to that truth and not on false promises. What I found for myself in doing this study is how my desires are different from God. When His desires become mine, the distant gap closes.
A Special Thank You to Moody Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
August 15, 2016
Distant God, written by Chris Nye, is a book of biblical guidance on feeling closer to God when He feels far away. Our modern culture teaches us to take a step back and focus on our selves when times get tough. This is the exact opposite of what the Bible tells us to do. We are not meant for self absorption, but rather self giving. Every relationship has it's times when the feeling of closeness is not there, it is the same in our relationship with God. God is always with us, but we go through times when we become distracted with what we want rather than seeking God.
God's presence is something He blesses us with. This book reminds us of the wonderfulness of God's presence and tells us what we can do to have God close to us, even in our sins. We miss out on the presence of God when we do not confess our sins, treating them like they are no big deal. God wants us to confess our sins so He can reveal His love to us.
This is a wonderful book that gives us gentle reminders of God and His ever presence to us. When God does not feel close to us, it is because we have become distracted with our lives and have pushed God away. I like that the author points out that there are times when we are at retreats and camps where we are focusing on our relationship with God and He feels so close, yet when we get home to our normal lives, that feeling goes away. I also like that the author uses stories in his book to get his point across.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishes for an honest review.
God's presence is something He blesses us with. This book reminds us of the wonderfulness of God's presence and tells us what we can do to have God close to us, even in our sins. We miss out on the presence of God when we do not confess our sins, treating them like they are no big deal. God wants us to confess our sins so He can reveal His love to us.
This is a wonderful book that gives us gentle reminders of God and His ever presence to us. When God does not feel close to us, it is because we have become distracted with our lives and have pushed God away. I like that the author points out that there are times when we are at retreats and camps where we are focusing on our relationship with God and He feels so close, yet when we get home to our normal lives, that feeling goes away. I also like that the author uses stories in his book to get his point across.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishes for an honest review.
April 22, 2017
The title of this book seemed promising in an age that elevates feeling over truth. Regrettably, it did not deliver. While offering occasional flashes of insight on how to address misaligned sentiment, the book was bloated with the author's personal anecdotes, pop-evangelical/quasi-Christian role models, and sometimes-spurious inferences, stretching 20 pages of content to a 184-page Kindle read. If you're looking for a fluffy, anecdotal meander through the topic of sentiment toward God, read this. If you're looking for a more serious treatment of the topic, try A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections by Edwards as more worthwhile alternative.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews