“Why do you stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Have you ever felt that way? You wanted to say that to the Lord? There have been times in my life when God seemed far off, beyond the reach of communication. I have awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning, morning after morning after morning, and anguished in spirit until day break, but my praying was more frustrating than fruitful. My passionate pleas seemed to bounce off the ceiling and ricochet around the walls.

It never shocks me when a person comes to my office, is hardly settled in his chair before he blurts it out: “Preacher, I can’t pray; there’s no connection —— I feel no presence. God has left me.”

Anyone who reads the Bible shouldn’t be shocked either — to hear that confession of another, or feel i…