It’s so easy for the majority of us to forget that everything we have comes from God. James, the half-brother of Jesus, drove home this point in a letter he wrote in the New Testament saying, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17). But some people still presume that God is far from us, especially when they suffer hurtful experiences. This week, BETTY AMUKPO asks, Is God far from us? Some children respond thus:
‘Holy Spirit is everywhere, in fact, the Holy Spirit lives within us’
No! God is not far from us. There are moments we may feel that God is far away but the truth is He never leaves us and He is always with us. He is as close as our heart cry, but appears far away when we don’t believe and trust in Him. The first thing to know is that the Holy Spirit is everywhere, in fact, the Holy Spirit lives within us because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 6:19-20). We don’t need to seek God in faraway places; He is right with us in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar.
• Agbo Josephine
‘For in Him, we live, move and have our being’
God is not far from us. His love and care for us remains unwavering. God is not far from us, He is always close to us, watching over us, directing us on the right path. God is always close to those who seek him in truthfulness. We may feel distant from God because of our sinful nature. Our perception of His distance can be a result of our own doubts, fear, unconfessed sin, pride, idolatry or distraction. But His love and care for us remains unwavering. The Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth. (Psalm 145:18), God is our refuge and strength, always present to help us in time of trouble. (Psalm 46:1), He is our constant source of comfort, strength and guidance. For in Him, we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). God is close to us if we search for Him with all our heart and all our soul.
• Anita Chima
‘God’s presence is everywhere and He is with us’
The Bible tells us God’s presence is everywhere and He is with us (Matthew 28:20). There are many verses in the Bible indicating that God is never far from us. At our Baptism, God’s Spirit dwells within us and He remains in us since our bodies are His temple (1Cor. 16:9). We only drive God away by our sins and not trusting in his mercy. Jesus promised us that if we obey and love him, He and His Father will come and make their homes in us (John 14:23). How wonderful that will be to have the Holy Trinity living in us and always with us. God is not far from us, He is with us always in the Blessed Sacrament.
• Patricia Oche
‘The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit’
No, God is not far from us. In fact, the Bible assures us that God is always with us, even in the midst of our struggles. In James 4:8, it states, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Also, in Psalm 34:18, it states, “The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” We may, sometimes feel distant from God, but it is often our own actions or perspectives that create that distance, rather than God being far from us.
• Blossom Akalezi
‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you’
No, God is close as our heart cry, but as far as our unbelief and our refusal to trust in Him. To experience miracles from God, we must take them by faith. (James 4:8) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. We must stop focusing on the past mistakes made and hurtful experiences that keeps us away from God. (Deut. 4:29) states, we will find Him if we seek Him with all our heart and with all our soul.
• Umennadi Francis Chibunna
‘He is ever present and helps in time of need’
God is not far from us. He is ever present and helps us in time of need. In Acts 17:27, “God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.” Additionally, in Jeremiah 23:23-24, God says, “Am I only a God nearby…and not a God far away? … Do I not fill heaven and earth?” These verses affirm God’s closeness to us.
• Arnold Akalezi
‘God is omnipresent, meaning He is always near to us’
God is not far from us, God is omnipresent, meaning He is always near to us. In Acts 17:27, it states, “God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.” God is close to all of us, ready to be found by those who seek Him. Matthew 28;20 writes, “I am with you always even to the end of the ages”, while it is written in James 4;8: “If you seek God, He will be with you at all times, draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
• Emmanuel Iwuoha
