What do we do when God no longer feels as close as He used to feel?

Many sincere believers experience seasons when prayer feels empty, Scripture feels quiet, and God seems strangely absent. For leaders especially, those seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even shameful.

In this episode of the Unhurried Living Podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss the new book When God Seems Distant, coauthored with John Coe.

Together, they explore:
Why spiritual dryness is a normal part of mature faith
The danger of equating spiritual feelings with God’s presence
How suffering and helplessness can become places of formation
The subtle ways we avoid God—even through our spirituality
Why love, rather than striving, is what truly transforms us

This conversation offers a compassionate and deeply hopeful vision for anyone walking through uncertainty, weariness, disappointment, or spiritual distance.

Whether you are a pastor, leader, spiritual director, or simply someone longing to remain near to God in difficult seasons, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement for the journey.

Connect with Alan on LinkedIn or learn more about Unhurried Living programs on their website. 

Learn about PACE: Certificate in Leadership and Soul Care

What do we do when God no longer feels as close as He used to feel?
Many sincere believers experience seasons when prayer feels empty, Scripture feels quiet, and God seems strangely absent. For leaders especially, those seasons can feel confusing, discouraging, and even shameful.
In this episode of the Unhurried Living Podcast, Alan Fadling sits down with theologian and spiritual formation professor Kyle Strobel to discuss the new book When God Seems Distant, coauthored with John Coe.
Together, they explore:
<ul>
<li>Why spiritual dryness is a normal part of mature faith</li>
<li>The danger of equating spiritual feelings with God&rsquo;s presence</li>
<li>How suffering and helplessness can become places of formation</li>
<li>The subtle ways we avoid God&mdash;even through our spirituality</li>
<li>Why love, rather than striving, is what truly transforms us</li>
</ul>
This conversation offers a compassionate and deeply hopeful vision for anyone walking through uncertainty, weariness, disappointment, or spiritual distance.
Whether you are a pastor, leader, spiritual director, or simply someone longing to remain near to God in difficult seasons, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement for the journey.
<hr>
Connect with Alan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanfadling/">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;or learn more about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/alan">Unhurried Living programs</a> on their website.&nbsp;
Learn about <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/pace">PACE: Certificate in Leadership and Soul Care</a>

Many of us feel hurried, and hurry is costing us more than we realize. The Unhurried Living Podcast with Alan and Gem Fadling provides resources and training to help Christian leaders learn to live and lead from fullness rather than on empty. Great influence begins on the inside, in your soul. Learning healthy patterns of rest and work can transform your life—your daily influence. Built on more than twenty-five years of experience at the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership development, Unhurried Living seeks to inspire people around the world to rest deeper so they can live fuller and lead better.

If this podcast helps you be an unhurried leader, be sure to check out our website https://www.unhurriedliving.com/, where we have books, resources, and featured membership communities so you can learn with fellow leaders how to lead from abundance instead of lack.

Many of us feel hurried, and hurry is costing us more than we realize. The Unhurried Living Podcast with Alan and Gem Fadling provides resources and training to help Christian leaders learn to live and lead from fullness rather than on empty. Great influence begins on the inside, in your soul. Learning healthy patterns of rest and work can transform your life—your daily influence. Built on more than twenty-five years of experience at the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership development, Unhurried Living seeks to inspire people around the world to rest deeper so they can live fuller and lead better.
If this podcast helps you be an unhurried leader, be sure to check out our website <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/">https://www.unhurriedliving.com/</a>, where we have books, resources, and featured membership communities so you can learn with fellow leaders how to lead from abundance instead of lack.

Unhurried Living | Helping Christians Rest Deeper & Lead Better

Many of us feel hurried, and hurry is costing us more than we realize. The Unhurried Living Podcast with Alan and Gem Fadling provides resources and training to help Christian leaders learn to live and lead from fullness rather than on empty. Great influence begins on the inside, in your soul. Learning healthy patterns of rest and work can transform your life—your daily influence as well as your leadership. Built on more than twenty-five years of experience at the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership development, Unhurried Living seeks to inspire people around the world to rest deeper so they can live fuller and lead better.

If this podcast helps you be an unhurried leader, be sure to check out our website https://www.unhurriedliving.com/, where we have books, resources, and featured membership communities so you can learn with fellow Christian leaders how to lead from abundance instead of lack.

Many of us feel hurried, and hurry is costing us more than we realize. The Unhurried Living Podcast with Alan and Gem Fadling provides resources and training to help Christian leaders learn to live and lead from fullness rather than on empty. Great influence begins on the inside, in your soul. Learning healthy patterns of rest and work can transform your life—your daily influence as well as your leadership. Built on more than twenty-five years of experience at the intersection of spiritual formation and leadership development, Unhurried Living seeks to inspire people around the world to rest deeper so they can live fuller and lead better.
If this podcast helps you be an unhurried leader, be sure to check out our website <a href="https://www.unhurriedliving.com/">https://www.unhurriedliving.com/</a>, where we have books, resources, and featured membership communities so you can learn with fellow Christian leaders how to lead from abundance instead of lack.

When God Seems Distant (Kyle Strobel)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/bba04581-1043-4a84-9b87-b45b0130bef5/transcript