When God Seems Distant: Surprising Ways God Deepens Our Faith and Draws Us Near

What If Times of Spiritual Dryness Are Actually Part of God's Plan?

· Discover how to reframe times when God feels distant
· Go beyond willpower and habit modification to true spiritual growth
· Learn to live in, not just through, fallow times

Most Christians experience zeal early in their Christian life, but when that fades to a season of dryness, it's tempting to assume one of two things: We have failed or God is absent. So we throw ourselves into ministry, spiritual disciplines, and study in order to break through to the other side of this dry season, not realizing that willpower and habit modification cannot "fix" our spiritual lives or kick-start a new season of spiritual growth. Why? Because we've missed the point of the wilderness.

Far from being evidence that we're failing in our faith, spiritual dry seasons are actually part of God's plan to draw us into a deeper walk with him. With the wisdom and compassion of those who have been there, Kyle Strobel and John Coe invite you to draw near to the Lord as you walk through the differing seasons of the soul. They explain the purpose of the wilderness in the story of God's people--including our Savior--and show how our spiritual lives actually benefit from times of dryness.

If you have found yourself in the desert, desperately longing for the living waters Jesus promises, this book will assure you that God is not absent--and you may be on the cusp of experiencing a deeper faith.

Kyle Strobel is the director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation and the professor of spiritual theology and formation at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. A popular speaker, Strobel is the author of Formed for the Glory of God and coauthor of Beloved Dust and The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb. He has written for Relevant, Pastors.com, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, DeeperStory.com, and others. He and his family live in Fullerton, California, where he serves on the preaching team of Redeemer Church. He is the coauthor, with John Coe, of Where Prayer Becomes Real and When God Seems Distant.

John Coe is a professor of spiritual theology and philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University. A leading expert on spiritual formation, he is a popular speaker on the topic at churches, retreats, and seminaries across the nation. He holds three master's degrees (in Bible, theology, and philosophy) and a PhD in philosophy from the University of California, Irvine. He lives in La Mirada, California. He is the coauthor, with Kyle Strobel, of Where Prayer Becomes Real and When God Seems Distant.