Devotional from Pastor Tim Chalas

Do You Feel Close to God?

Feelings are a gift from God, but they are not the gauge of truth. As believers, it’s easy to confuse feeling close to God with actually being close to Him. When we make how we feel the measure of our intimacy with God, we risk making an idol of our emotions, and ending up in a never-ending cycle of trying to feel right, instead of trusting that we are right with Him.

The gospel declares something far more secure than our emotions—union. When you placed your faith in Jesus, you were joined to Him forever. “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him”(1 Corinthians 6:17). That’s not an emotional or temporary state; it’s a spiritual reality.

From the moment you believed, God took up residence within you. The Spirit of God didn’t move in for a trial period. He came to stay. Feelings fluctuate, but God’s presence does not.

You may feel distant at times—God understands that. But your feelings don’t change the truth. There’s no revolving door for the Holy Spirit in your life. He’s not coming and going based on how you’re doing or what you’re feeling. He has made you His home, and He’s not moving out, ever, no matter what.

So today, whether you feel close to God or not, remember: closeness is not a feeling—it’s a fact. He is in you. You are in Him. That is the unchangeable truth.

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“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you.’” —Hebrews 13:5 

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