Does God Turn His Back on Us?

Ask the Author: Question & Response

I have read your book “You Have Chosen To Remember” and did find it inspirational. I sometimes return to it when I feel lost. I know what you say is right, but sometimes I wonder if perhaps I am just not doing something right as I used to know that God was listening but recently this feeling has gone. Do you think that God ever turns his back? Do you think that a person can ask too many times for help with the mundane?

– Jo, North Yorkshire, England

In the story of the prodigal son, a son of a loving father left home, experienced all the world had to offer and lost everything. He was ashamed to return to his father because he thought he had hurt him. Yet when he came home, the father welcomed him with joy because the son himself was his father’s treasure.

God does not turn his back on any of His creations. When we focus on something other than extending our true essence, then that’s where the feeling of disconnection comes from. Our sense of disconnection comes about when we focus on negativity, judgment, self-deprecation, worry and/or self-doubt. When we do so, we are focusing our attention away from God, on inventions of the ego, on illusions that we have taught ourselves are more real than truth. And so you see, that feeling, that questioning, that wondering if God ever turns His back on you, does not come from Him turning His back, it comes from your decision to focus on something other than extending and expressing your true essence.

When we forget that we are here to express our true essence, there is something within us that tugs at our consciences, as well as our hearts and souls. This inner tugging does not come from someone who does not care about us. It occurs because Someone who deeply loves us is gently reminding us that He has not left us. He is reminding us that we have come to express our true essence, and be an example to others that the light exists within us all. When we are being compassionate or loving in whatever ways we feel most comfortable, or charitable and kind in whatever ways we can – then we are extending our true essence, and reminding the world of the truth within us all. When we do this, our continuous and uninterrupted connection to God and to all our brothers and sisters is undeniable.

Yes, there are times when our focus goes away from God, and times when the ego tells us that judgment is a proper response. There are times when forgiveness seems too difficult to offer, and our well of compassion seems all dried up. Yet, it is by experiencing these times that we get to remind ourselves of the futility of such behaviors, actions and reactions. They show us what we do not want. And by learning what we do not want, we come closer to realizing what we truly do want. Herein lies their gift – they bring us back to refocusing on the things that bring us joy, free us from judgment, and bring love and support back into our lives. Once we realize this gift, our response is gratitude and trust instead of stress and worry. Now we can thank them for being part of our journey, instead of judging them and ourselves. All this – coming from those moments where you once thought God had turned His back on you. Reflect this truth, and through your example, light the way for others who are lost in the darkness, judgment and solitude of their own illusions.

Any time you experience feelings of separation, loneliness or any kind of negative emotion, know that you are not listening to God, you are listening to the ego. When you listen to the ego, you are unwittingly choosing separation from the Source over union with the Source. The ego has taught you that it is possible “to be doing something wrong.” Again, God uses this and all other illusions to remind you that the ego’s demands are not real and have no true value.

We are the creators of the illusions we cherish. We sustain the illusion of separateness by believing it and defending it as real. The ego’s illusions are numerous: judgment, loneliness, fear, blame, sadness, etc. It is up to us to deny the ego’s illusions, and see them for what they truly are. If there is one certainty about illusions – it is that, in the end, they never satisfy our needs, and they leave us feeling unfulfilled. Illusions exist only because we value them. We value them by placing our focus and energy on them, despite how false they are. Therefore, their end results are emptiness, confusion, disillusionment and/or regret. We can not place our focus and hope for fulfillment on falsities and expect them to offer us truth. Falsities can only offer us emptiness. Follow them as long as you desire, but do not be surprised when hopelessness does not offer you hope.

When we choose to focus on illusions, we are choosing to hide from God. When we turn our attention to false idols, we unconsciously perceive ourselves as not valuable because our focus is on the valueless. We value the valueless, and invest our time and energy on empty searches for hope where there is none, and then wonder why we feel hopeless. Unconsciously, we choose to turn away from God because we do not believe we are worthy of His presence or having a connection to Him.

Yet, my dear friend, allow me to share that in front of God, you can not hide your truth. You may share all your shame and thoughts of worthlessness, but He will always looks at you through and with perfect love. If you try to convince God that you are not worthy of His love, His response to you will be more love. You may share with Him illusion after illusion that you cherished more than Him, and He will simply gift you even greater and greater waves of love that will dissolve every shadow you gave a home to. My friend, there are no shadows in Heaven. Neither the most expansive trees nor the highest buildings have shadows. You may choose to look beneath your feet or behind you and you will still find no shadows. Instead, you will experience only God’s love and light emanating from all, everything and everyone. This is what He offers you, and this is what is available to you in every moment, even those you perceive as “mundane.”

God is in every moment. Thus God is in what you currently perceive to be the “mundane.” Yet if God is in what you call the “mundane,” then the mundane does not really exist. For if, in any moment, you were conscious of your connection to God, could you ever call such a moment “mundane?” To God, mundane moments do not exist. Any time you choose to join God by asking Him for advice – He rejoices. Do you not rejoice when your son or daughter calls you for advice, or to simply say hi? God rejoices with equal or greater enthusiasm any and every time you call on Him.

You don’t ask God for too much, you ask Him for too little. God’s will for you is complete peace, love and joy. God’s will is changeless, forever governing everything. God’s will for you and your will for yourself are one. Your highest will for yourself is also His will. Thus God rejoices when you join Him in your thinking. For that reason, it is impossible to ask God for help too many times. For when you ask for help, you are simply asking for guidance; you are realigning with God; you are returning home to Him; and He always welcomes you with pure joy.

Any time you feel happy and at peace, know that you are consciously or unconsciously listening to God, acting on His advice, and thus experiencing union. Remember, you are always either listening to God or the ego. You are always choosing between union and separation, between the light and the shadow. Free will allows you to choose. In the moment, you can listen to God or the ego, but not both. When you have the feeling of separation, that God is not listening, know that is simply you choosing to listen to and focus on the ego. Yet, the moment is yours to do with as you wish. Thus if you truly desire to join your Creator and follow your highest will, every single moment offers you this opportunity, to begin anew. This is God’s gift to you; this is God’s gift to all of us.

If God is in every moment, then it is impossible for Him not to listen to you, but it is possible for you not to listen to Him. How many times have you experienced a friend talking to you, yet in the end, you heard little or nothing he said? This happens not because you don’t love and appreciate your friend, but because you were placing your focus on something else. God calls on all of us, but not all of us choose to listen.

When you think God is not answering your call, it is you who unwittingly is not answering His. God calls to you in every moment, from every person, place and thing. The love of God is in everything He created. Look with peace upon your brother and it is God you are experiencing. Experience joy from a random act of kindness and it is God whose gratitude you feel flowing through you. Help heal a brother of sister from disillusionment and know that it is God who is leading your soul. God created His son perfectly. Thus to remember your perfection, see your brother and sister as He sees them. If you deny their truth, you are denying yours.

It is an honor that you return to my book when you feel lost. But know this, what you are truly doing during those times is making a choice to return to your own center to refocus on your true Source and essence, and you do not need a book for that. For what is in my book was within you long before the creation of the book. And what is in you, is in all of us, in all people, places and things. In every moment, in every person, place or thing – God waits for you. When you remember this, abundant gratitude will become your response to the moment, to every moment. And so the present moment is presented to you, God’s eternal gift is once again revealed.

Return your focus to the Divine – extend kindness, generosity, forgiveness, love, joy and peace to your brother and sister, and you will experience your true essence and connection to all. The love that is this essence is always within you, thus always with you. There is never a moment where God is not. There is never a moment where God is not within you, and with you. There is never a moment where God is not available to you, to all of us. Your sense of connectedness comes when you are extending His expression. Only you can choose to deprive yourself of anything. Separation is overcome by union. When in doubt, turn toward the light. Ask for light and remember that you are light.

God awaits your return to Him. Regardless of the journey you have taken, God waits for you with everlasting love, patience and peace. Allow His sun to rise once again in you, and in the light, stand wholly unafraid. Allow compassion, forgiveness, love, charity and joy to radiate from you. Allow God to raise you up, embrace you in His hand, as a lantern in the dark, as an example of the triumph of the soul. Your brothers and sisters will see and experience you as a reminder to them that this same light, hope and possibility exists within them too. Become a living example to them that those who were lost can be found, that those who were once blind can now see.

Any time you question if God is listening to you, any time you question your connection to Him, any time you feel alone and wonder if you’re not doing something right, remember that your union with God is unbreakable. Your union with God is eternal. Your union with God is available to you in every single moment, from now until the end of time.
 

This question and response can be found in the book - There is Another Way: Overcoming Real World Challenges. If you enjoyed this Q&A, you'll really enjoy the book which is filled with inspiration and effective strategies for overcoming life's challenges. The book is due to come out in 2025. Click here to sign up for our newsletter so that you can be notified when it is ready. Thanks.