Welcome to Dear Father Thomas, a weekly column where readers share their questions about faith, family, relationships, and life’s challenges. Each week, Father Thomas offers practical wisdom and spiritual guidance rooted in Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
DEAR FATHER THOMAS: I don’t know what happened, but lately I just don’t feel close to God.
I still go to Mass. I still pray. I still believe. But everything feels different. Prayer feels empty, and sometimes I wonder if God is even listening. I see other people who seem so strong in their faith, and I wonder why I can’t feel what they seem to feel.
I haven’t stopped believing in God. I just miss feeling like He is near.
Am I doing something wrong? Has God pulled away from me? And how do I keep going when my faith feels so dry? — FEELING FAR FROM GOD
DEAR FEELING FAR FROM GOD: Not feeling close to God does not mean that God has stopped being close to you.
The spiritual life is not always filled with peace, comfort, or a strong sense of God’s presence. There can be seasons when prayer feels dry and God seems silent. Even faithful Christians experience this.
What matters is what you do in the silence.
Keep praying, even when prayer feels empty. Keep going to Mass. Keep receiving the sacraments worthily. Faith is not simply a feeling; it is also choosing to trust God when you cannot feel Him.
Jesus promised, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). That promise does not disappear on the days when you cannot sense His presence.
And if this dryness continues or begins troubling your faith deeply, speak with your parish priest or a trusted spiritual director. Sometimes we need someone to help us recognize where God may already be working.
You do not have to manufacture a feeling of closeness to God.
Stay faithful. Keep turning toward Him.
Sometimes faith grows deepest when we continue walking with God even when we cannot feel Him beside us.
