1.1 Connected, Yet Distant
Connected, Yet Distant
A Bible can be close to your hand while the God who speaks through it still feels far away.
Anna
Joel
Sam
Mum
DadListen in · open the Bible · think for yourselfThe next evening, the family gathered around the table after dinner. Joel's question from the night before was still with them.
Mum was the first to bring it up.
"I kept thinking about what Joel asked," she said. "If Jesus gives real life, why can the Bible still feel difficult or distant?"
Dad nodded. He asked Anna, Joel and Sam to place their phones on the table. Mum placed the Bible beside them.
"Three phones and one Bible," Sam said. "That looks like a strange comparison."
"These phones can connect us with almost the whole world," Dad said. "But being connected is not the same as being close. A phone cannot automatically give us a deep relationship with the person sitting beside us."
Mum rested her hand near the Bible.
"And having a Bible nearby does not automatically mean that we personally know the God who speaks through it."
Joel looked at the Bible. "So the problem may be more than finding time to read?"
"Sometimes it is," Dad replied. "Let's listen to one another before we decide what the problem is."
Three Honest Answers
"Why do you think young people struggle to read the Bible?" Dad asked.
Anna answered first. "I usually depend on the pastor or Bible teacher. When I read alone, I'm not sure whether I understand it correctly."
Joel looked at the Bible. "I wonder whether it still matters today. The Bible was written in a very different world. What does it have to say about AI, social media, relationships, exams or choosing a career?"
Sam gave the simplest answer. "I try to read, but I get confused. Then I become bored and stop."
Dad nodded. "All three are honest answers. God is not frightened by honest questions. And you do not have to work through every question alone. A trusted Christian can listen, help you understand and walk with you."
Struggling with the Bible does not always mean that you have rejected it. You may be curious about Jesus but distracted, uncertain or afraid of misunderstanding what you read. You can begin there, with help and without pretending.
Why the Bible May Feel Distant
People struggle for different reasons. The Bible may feel distant for many practical reasons:
"Does struggling with the Bible mean someone is not a real Christian?" Anna asked.
"No, not necessarily," Dad replied. "Sincere followers of Jesus can experience confusion, distraction and spiritually dry seasons. We should help people, not shame them."
"But sometimes there is a deeper problem?" Joel asked.
"Yes. Sometimes the difficulty is not only understanding the words. It is also our response to the God who speaks."
Knowing About God Without Coming to Him
Dad showed them the online profile of a famous cricket player.
"I can learn his age, statistics, team history and achievements," he said. "Does that mean I know him personally?"
"No," Sam replied. "You only know information about him."
"That can happen with God too. We may know Bible stories, Christian songs and correct answers. But information about God is not the same as trusting, loving and following Him."
Jesus once spoke to people who studied Scripture carefully:
"These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
John 5:39-40
"Their problem was not that they studied the Bible," Anna said. "They would not come to the Person the Scriptures were pointing to."
"Exactly," Dad replied. "They searched the Scriptures but would not come to Jesus in faith."
The Bible Leads Us to Jesus
It is easy to open the Bible only to:
Through the Bible, God reveals His character, His purposes and His rescue plan. Scripture shows us what is happening inside us and leads us to Jesus.
"Then is the Bible relevant to modern life?" Joel asked.
"Yes," Dad answered. "But the Bible does more than give quick answers to modern questions. It first shows us who God is, who we are and how Jesus calls us to live. That truth then changes how we face studies, relationships, technology, success, failure and the future."
When We Cannot See Clearly
The Bible says:
"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel."
2 Corinthians 4:4
"The god of this age" refers to Satan. He wants people to distrust God, misunderstand His Word and remain separated from Jesus.
"Does that mean every confusing Bible passage is a satanic attack?" Sam asked.
"No," Dad replied. "Some passages are difficult because they come from another time and culture. Sometimes we are tired or have not yet learned how to read carefully. We must not use Satan as an excuse for our choices or as a way to blame people who have questions."
Spiritual blindness is more than struggling with a difficult passage. This is not saying that someone who is not a Christian cannot understand a passage. It is about our need for God to help us recognise and trust Jesus. We may read the words and still resist the God who speaks through them. We are responsible for how we respond, and we need God to open our eyes.
The same passage gives us hope:
"God...made his light shine in our hearts."
2 Corinthians 4:6
God can open our eyes. He can meet us in our confusion, overcome our resistance and show us Jesus.
What Do You Expect?
"When you open the Bible," Dad asked, "what are you expecting?"
"I usually expect information," Anna answered.
"I expect it to be difficult," Sam said.
Joel smiled. "I'm waiting for it to prove that it is relevant."
"What if we began with a different prayer?" Dad asked. "What if we said, 'God, show me who You are. Show me what is happening in my heart. Help me see Jesus'?"
Which statement best describes you?
More than one answer may fit you. Choose the one that feels strongest today.
God, You know what I believe, what I doubt and what I do not understand. Open my eyes. Help me see the truth about You, myself and Jesus. As I read Your Word, lead me into Your light. Amen.
"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."
Psalm 119:18
Joel remained thoughtful.
"If the Bible leads people to Jesus and life, why would anyone refuse God?"
Dad closed the Bible gently. "Because our difficulty is not only in our eyes. Something has also gone wrong in the human heart."