There may be times in our lives when God seems far away. At those times, we may feel our prayers go unanswered. If we are far from God, it is because our sins have separated us from Him, since God cannot tolerate sin. God is unchanging; He is a Holy God, His faithfulness remains constant. It is we who change, allow sin into our lives and choose to go our own way. When we spend less time with God, through diminished prayer and Bible study, we end up far away from God. The solution, according to James 4:8, is to “Draw near to God.” As we recognize our need to be closer to God and return to Him, He draws near us, just as the father in ( Luke 15:20) hurried to embrace his prodigal son. Drawing near to God requires us to:

• Cleanse our hands and cleanse our way of living. If we sense we are actively engaged in sin, we must renounce it; we must make sure we forgive those we think trespass against us (Isaiah 1:15).
• Purify our hearts, confess our sins, and ask for forgiveness (Psalm 51:10).
• Make our attitudes and emotions right in God’s eye and be in harmony with God’s Word. 

Jesus warned that we can not serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). God has to take the first position in our hearts. Let us examine ourselves today, and if we feel God seems distant, let us do all that is necessary to draw near Him. — James 4:8