Question: Dear Mr. Albrecht,

Thank you for your prompt response to my question regarding "self image". My next question is not about the Bible (I don’t think) so I’ll understand if you’d rather not answer.

When I first became a Christian, I had zeal that just motivated me in a wonderful, joyful, and fulfilling way. The "fire" in my heart and mind was evident to everyone around me. That was about six or seven years ago. Most recently though, I feel that all that is gone. I don’t feel God’s presence in my life anymore. No longer do I feel the joy in my heart like I used too. When I pray, he seems so distant and I feel that my prayers are set aside when he has the time.

God has blessed me tremendously in my life! I see it daily. I am thankful for all of them. But they just don’t seem to keep me fulfilled and happy. These days it takes some effort to attend church and even pray. What has gone wrong?

Love in Christ,

Jamie

Answer: Dear Jamie,

Sometimes lots of things "go wrong" and we don’t know it. It is natural to have times when we don’t feel God’s presence, and when we feel that our prayers are not getting above the ceiling. The great news is that our prayers don’t need to go anywhere, they don’t need to go above the ceiling – because God is right there. He is not way off somewhere, he is right there.

We often think that prayer is a matter of asking God to do stuff for us, and then he responds to us, like a heavenly vending machine. We put in our money, and out comes a Diet-Coke, or whatever button we pushed. God does answer our prayers – it’s simply that he gives us what we need, not always what we want.

There’s a great song by Garth Brooks (and you don’t have to be a country music fan to appreciate the lyrics) called "Unanswered Prayers" – the song thanks God for them, for the song relates that earlier in life we didn’t know what we wanted, and if God had given us what we wanted then, we would not be doing, experiencing, or involved in what we are involved in now.

In some ways we are like the little ants running around on the ant-hill – we have very little idea of eternity and of God outside of our tiny little time-bound perspective. God dwells outside of time and space, he knows the end from the beginning. Jesus is the beginning and the end.

Don’t be down on yourself for losing some enthusiasm – but at the same time I would not give up on God – for he has not, and will not, given up on you. You might want to try some reading, and some thinking, and the next time you pray, try this – pray for a little while, and then just be quiet for about 30 minutes or so. Think and meditate – you could do this while taking a walk. "Listen" to what God might want to show you. We are all so busy telling him what we need, that it is sometimes difficult for him to show us what we really need.

Hope this helps, Jamie. May God bless you – and don’t forget that God loves you. Always has, always will.

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht