Out of Reach

A Devotional by Karen Schoeppach

Sometimes God feels very far away. That, no matter how I stretch my arms, God is just out of reach. I pray as loud as I can, but I think the Lord must be out of range of my voice. Over the years I have read other devotions that center on this sense that God is unreachable. These devotions all tell me that God is right where God has always been and I’m the one who has moved.

How did this happen? When did this happen? Why did this happen? How did I not know it was happening? These questions swirl around in my mind. Finding the answers to these questions becomes so important. I look at my life and what I am doing. I try very hard to solve the dilemma. I drive myself crazy. Then it comes to me. The answer has nothing to do with those questions. I need to stop looking at what I was doing or even what I wasn’t doing. I just need to start getting closer to God. If I want to get close, to connect, I need to start spending time talking to God, reading God’s word, and listening for God’s guidance as I go about doing the Lord’s work .

God, I realize how easy it was to think that it was You creating distance between us, when it was me all along. When You have given so much, surely I can devote a few minutes a day to stay close to You and learn how I can do Your work. I pray to you. Amen.