It is an important part of the believer’s life that he/she has a good sense of the Lord’s presence in their lives.  Of course, I cannot say for sure why you cannot feel the Lord in your life, so I will present you with a few possibilities that you may find helpful.

First of all, what are you looking for when you are seeing the Lord’s presence in your life?  Are you listening for whistles and bells…something dynamic to show you His presence?  We read of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-12 which says, “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a STILL SMALL VOICE.”  While we may look for the Lord in an obvious manifestation of great power and noise, He is most often found in a voice so low that we have to get away from the distractions of the world in order to hear from Him.  We tend to look for God in the storm, the earthquake, and the fire, and to overlook God in the still small voice.  We read in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God…”

Secondly, we need to be obedient to the Lord’s Word to properly walk in fellowship with Him.  Isaiah 30:21 says, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”  1 John 1:7 tells us, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”  The Lord has appointed a way for us to walk, or live.  That way is to walk in the light of the truth of God’s Word.  It is essential that all believers are students of God’s Word.  We cannot delegate that responsibility to a chosen few and then depend upon them to tell us what the Bible says.  The Apostle Paul commended the Bereans because “…they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11).  These Bereans were Bible students who were eager to receive teaching, but also, through personal study, made sure that what they were being taught agreed with what the Bible says. 

Thirdly, we hear from God when we have an intimate relationship with His Son.  Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”  While reading God’s Word is imperative, it is reading with a desire to know the Lord Jesus Christ more intimately that will cause God to speak to our hearts, drawing us ever closer to the Lord Jesus. Going to church is important.  So is doing devotionals, reading books, having daily prayer habits, etc.  However, the Lord looks on the heart and what we do has to be done with a desire to obey, follow, and love the Lord.  Consider the words of Psalm 119:15-16, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” 

Lastly, I want to emphasize one truth…the Lord wants to have a close, intimate relationship with you.  No matter what you do as a believer, the Lord has promised that He will never leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5).  We are told in Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”  We are assured in James 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”  I suggest that you spend time in quiet prayer.  Acknowledge the Lord’s presence even if you do not feel Him.  We know from the Bible that He longs to have you near.  Ask the Lord to manifest Himself in your life by the way that He chooses.  Listen for His still small voice.  Look for Him in the tiniest of details.  Depend upon Him to do what He says He will do.  Get to know Him better through His Word so that you will recognize His presence in the events of your life.  He is there and He cares!  (420.2)