When God seems distant

Let’s start this post with one of the really controversial (according to a lot of people) passages in the Bible:

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Matthew 15:21-28 (New International Version)

I guess your first thought when you read this Scripture were similar to my first thought; why did Jesus talk to her like that? Isn’t that kind of mean and this even comes from Jesus?

It might sound a bit harsh, but I believe there is a deeper meaning behind the words Jesus spoke to this Canaanite woman. I believe that this Scripture is not about how Jesus almost insulted this woman, whom the world counted as worthless. I believe in these verses Jesus wanted to see how much this woman wanted to see her daughter get healed and to have an encounter with Jesus. That is why he ignores her request 3 times. He wanted to see if this was something she really wanted. Did she really believe in Him? Because she did not give up and kept pursuing Jesus her daughter got healed. Because of her faith. The same goes for us, when Jesus does not give us what we want instantly or does not answer our prayers when we want to, do we give up and turn to something or someone else for answers or do we keep pursuing God? Do we let condescending words or any kind of hardship keep up from pursuing and seeking God? The exact same thing as we see in this passage goes for friendships. No one wants to be in a friendship where only one part invents in it and wants it. It goes two ways. Jesus wants our relationship with Him to be like that. Sometimes He also wants us to pursue Him, to show Him how much we need Him. He wants us all the time.

“He went to an high place. And God met Balaam…” Numbers 23:3-4 (King James Version)

In the Danish version it says something like Balaam went up to the top of a rock and God met Him there. As I said before, because Balaam pursued God and went out of His own way (He climbed all the way to the top of the rock) God met Him. How far are you willing to go when you want to hear God? Want to meet Him?

I have had some of these moments recently. When I could not hear Him speaking and I desperately needed His advice on something. But I have realized that the more distant God seems, the more I will keep seeking Him-no matter how hard it is or how long it might take. God is never distant, He never changes, the only person who can become distant is me. I am the one who need to change something when God seems distant. Keep seeking God and you will find Him. I know this is true from my own experience.

 ^“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (New International Version)