Who is close to you but far from God?

We all have people in our lives who sit at tables with us, share our laughter, and know our stories. Yet, they feel worlds away from God.

They aren’t strangers.
They’re family.
Friends.
Coworkers.
People we love deeply.

And that’s what makes this question so uncomfortable.

Because it’s always easier to talk about those people out there than these people right here.

Proximity Doesn’t Equal Spiritual Nearness

Someone can be close to you relationally and still be far from God spiritually.

They may have grown up in church.
They may know the language.
They may even agree with Christian values.

But somewhere along the way, belief became distance.

Sometimes the distance came from pain.
Sometimes from disillusionment.
Sometimes from hypocrisy they couldn’t reconcile.
Sometimes from silence when they needed presence.

Not all wandering looks like rebellion.
Some wandering looks like exhaustion.

Resist the Urge to Fix

When we recognize that someone we love is far from God, our instinct is often to do something.

Say the right thing.
Send the right article.
Win the right argument.
Apply pressure with good intentions.

But closeness doesn’t grant us control.

Jesus didn’t chase people with fear tactics.
He walked with them.
He ate with them.
He listened longer than He lectured.

And sometimes, He let them walk away.

Love Is Not Passive; It’s Patient

Loving someone who is far from God does not mean compromising truth.

It means embodying it. It means being the Bible they no longer read. It means showing them more than it involves telling them.

It means being a non-anxious presence.
A safe place for questions.
A living contradiction to the belief that God is harsh, distant, or indifferent.

He’s not.

Your faith may not be the argument that brings them back, however your faithfulness might just be what draws them near.

When they see you walk the walk, they might be more inclined to listen.

Remember: God Is Closer Than You Think

Here’s the quiet hope we often forget:

Even when someone feels far from God, God is not far from them.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You may be the bridge, but you are not the Savior.

God is already working in ways you cannot see, in places you cannot reach, through means you would never choose.

A Prayer for Those We Love

Dear God,
You see the ones who are close to us but distant from You. You know their stories, their wounds, their disappointments, and their doubts.
Teach us how to love without fear, speak without force, and trust without control.
Make our lives a quiet witness of Your grace.And when the time is right, draw them back—not through pressure, but through love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Closing Thought

Sometimes the holiest thing you can do
is stay.

Stay present.
Stay kind.
Stay faithful.
Stay praying.

Because distance from God is not the end of the story and real, patient, Christ-shaped love always has a voice.

Who is close to you, but far from God?

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

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