There’s a saying we’ve all heard: “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.” I get what it’s trying to say. Sometimes when we’re apart from someone we love, we realize just how much they mean to us. Absence can wake us up to affection we’ve taken for granted.
But when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, I’m not sure that saying holds up.
Because while a little distance might stir a longing, too much distance creates separation—and separation always hurts.
When we drift from God, we don’t just miss Him; we start to lose sight of who we are. The peace we once knew gets replaced with anxiety. The joy that used to come naturally starts feeling forced. The spiritual clarity we once had gets clouded by noise and distraction.
That’s why James writes, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” (James 4:8) It is a promise that God doesn’t play hard to get. He’s always near, but He invites us to draw near as well. Not because He’s moved away, but because we have.
Psalm 73:28 says, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds.”
There’s no substitute for proximity. The goodness of God isn’t just something to think about—it’s something to experience when we’re close to Him.
The truth is, distance from God rarely happens all at once. It’s usually subtle—a few skipped prayers here, a distracted heart there. We tell ourselves we’ll get back to Him when life slows down, but life rarely does. Before long, that faint longing for God becomes a deep ache of disconnection.
But here’s the good news: no matter how far you’ve wandered, God’s invitation remains. Like the father in the story of the prodigal son, He’s watching the road, waiting for you to come home.
And when you do, you’ll find what the psalmist found: not guilt, not shame—just the goodness of being near again.
peace,
Nick
But when it comes to our relationship with the Lord, I’m not sure that saying holds up.
Because while a little distance might stir a longing, too much distance creates separation—and separation always hurts.
When we drift from God, we don’t just miss Him; we start to lose sight of who we are. The peace we once knew gets replaced with anxiety. The joy that used to come naturally starts feeling forced. The spiritual clarity we once had gets clouded by noise and distraction.
That’s why James writes, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” (James 4:8) It is a promise that God doesn’t play hard to get. He’s always near, but He invites us to draw near as well. Not because He’s moved away, but because we have.
Psalm 73:28 says, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all Your deeds.”
There’s no substitute for proximity. The goodness of God isn’t just something to think about—it’s something to experience when we’re close to Him.
The truth is, distance from God rarely happens all at once. It’s usually subtle—a few skipped prayers here, a distracted heart there. We tell ourselves we’ll get back to Him when life slows down, but life rarely does. Before long, that faint longing for God becomes a deep ache of disconnection.
But here’s the good news: no matter how far you’ve wandered, God’s invitation remains. Like the father in the story of the prodigal son, He’s watching the road, waiting for you to come home.
And when you do, you’ll find what the psalmist found: not guilt, not shame—just the goodness of being near again.
peace,
Nick