Do You Feel Far From God? Here’s What Changed on Good Friday

There are times when God can feel distant.

Not because we don’t believe, but because something feels in the way. Maybe it’s guilt, maybe
it’s shame, or maybe it’s just the weight of everything we’ve been carrying. It can leave us
wondering, Can I really come close to God? or Do I have to fix myself first?

If you’ve ever felt that distance, Good Friday speaks directly to it.

Pastor Justin shared a simple picture: standing outside a door, knocking, waiting for someone to
answer—only to hear a voice from the other side say, “Come in… it’s open.”

In that moment, everything changes. You don’t have to keep knocking. You don’t have to wait
outside. The door is already open—you just have to walk in.

That’s what happened on Good Friday.

When Jesus died on the cross, something incredible took place inside the temple. The veil—the
thick curtain that separated people from the presence of God—was torn from top to bottom.

That wasn’t just a detail. It was a declaration.

The way into the presence of God is now open.

To understand why that matters, we have to go all the way back to the beginning. In the garden,
humanity walked with God freely. There was no separation, no distance, no barrier.

But when sin entered the world, that access was lost. Scripture tells us that the way back into
God’s presence was guarded. Humanity could no longer come freely.

Even when God established the tabernacle and later the temple, there was still a separation.
The veil stood as a constant reminder: God is here, but you cannot freely enter.

Only one person could go behind that veil. Only once a year. Only with a sacrifice.

The message was clear: not yet.

But then Jesus came.

He didn’t just teach about God—He was God with us. He became the meeting place between
God and humanity. And when He went to the cross, He did what no system of sacrifice could
ever fully accomplish.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it wasn’t just the end of His suffering—it was the completion of
the work.

And in that moment, the veil was torn.

Not from the bottom up, as if man had done it—but from the top down, as if heaven itself was
opening the way.

The barrier was removed.

The separation was gone.

What had once said, “Stay back,” now says, “Come near.”

Scripture tells us that because of Jesus, we now have boldness to enter into the presence of
God. Not hesitation. Not fear. Not distance. But confidence.

That means you don’t have to clean yourself up before coming to God. You don’t have to earn
your way in. You don’t have to stay on the outside hoping you’ll eventually be allowed in.

The door is already open.

And it gets even better.

Under the old covenant, God’s presence lived in a place. Under the new covenant, God’s
presence lives in His people.

Because of the cross, you’re not just invited to visit God’s presence—you’re invited to live in
relationship with Him.

So if you’ve been feeling far from God, this is the truth you need to hold onto:

You don’t have to stay distant.
You don’t have to stay outside.
You don’t have to keep knocking.

The way is open.

The invitation is still there.

And through Jesus, you can come near.