When the Holy Spirit Feels Distant

One of the great mysteries of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit’s hiding nature. Though He never leaves you, you will face times in your life when the Holy Spirit feels like He’s a million miles away. But God is actually doing something powerful in those moments when you can’t feel His presence, and I’ll share that with you here.

The dove, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, is shown in Scripture to have a hiding nature.

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the cliffs, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”
– Song of Solomon 2:14 (MEV)

In fact, it is in the nature of God to sometimes conceal Himself:

“Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.”
– Isaiah 45:15 (KJV)

Why God Sometimes Withdraws the Sense of His Presence

When you can’t feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, you may find yourself jumping to conclusions: Did God abandon me? Did I do something wrong? Was everything I experienced before just emotion? Am I not as important as those other believers who seem to always feel God so closely?

But there are actually several reasons God will withdraw the sense of His presence from you. One of those reasons is to cause you to seek Him. If you’re always comfortable with where you are in the Spirit, you’ll never climb higher. When it feels like the Holy Spirit’s presence is being withdrawn, He isn’t leaving you; He’s leading you into deeper waters.

God wants to be sought.

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
– Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)

As believers, we don’t seek God to obtain His presence; we always have His presence. Rather, the seeking is more about the change in you. He wants you to seek Him so that you become more aware of Him, more sensitive to His voice, more responsive to His instructions, and more like Him in nature.

So the next time you don’t feel the presence of the Holy Spirit, don’t become fearful and desperate; become faith-filled and motivated. When you don’t feel Him, the holy pursuit is on. He’s moving up the mountain, and He intends for you to come up with Him.

To learn more about the presence of the Holy Spirit, watch my teaching "Why You Don't Feel the Holy Spirit Anymore (Eye-opening Truth)," on YouTube by clicking here.

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