{"podcast":{"title":"The Best of You","slug":"the-best-of-you-5434878","podcast_index_feed_id":5434878,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/TSF6018604298","website_url":"https://www.alisoncookphd.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/bce7efe6-a03f-11ee-8c9f-774bed44a0bf/image/fc2ae1c482ec1458c40205cd8f979641.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Dr. Alison Cook","episode_count":344,"summary":"Join therapist and author, Dr. Alison Cook, as she guides you through some of your toughest challenges with wisdom, kindness, and grace. Together with friends and experts we'll unpack the best of psychology from a faith-based perspective. You’ll discover how to break free from painful patterns, mend your past, and discover what brings out the best of you.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T18:19:05.176079+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-best-of-you-5434878"},"episode":{"title":"What to Do When Pain Makes God Feel Far Away","slug":"what-to-do-when-pain-makes-god-feel-far-away","published_at":"2026-07-27T08:14:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-best-of-you-5434878/what-to-do-when-pain-makes-god-feel-far-away","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-best-of-you-5434878","url":"https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/arttrk.com/p/TSFL1/claritaspod.com/measure/traffic.megaphone.fm/AMPH7337941108.mp3","audio_url":"https://pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/arttrk.com/p/TSFL1/claritaspod.com/measure/traffic.megaphone.fm/AMPH7337941108.mp3","summary":"Today's Scripture: Psalm 73:21–28 What do you do when pain, bitterness, fear, or loneliness makes it hard to sense that God is near? Today’s Scripture gives language for the honest ache of feeling disconnected from God while still being held by him. This episode helps you practice recognizing what is happening inside of you and returning to the love that has never left. You’ll learn: *Why feeling far from God is normal *How to recognize what is happening inside without shame *Why “yet I am always with you” is a practice of return *How pain can magnify certain feelings *One small way to return to God when your heart feels weak Go Deeper: Join my live roundtable with Jenna Riemersma and Tammy Sollenberger on July 29 when you pre-order The Secure Soul ⁠ Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support. While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices","meta_description":"Today's Scripture: Psalm 73:21–28 What do you do when pain, bitterness, fear, or loneliness makes it hard to sense that God is near? Today’s Scripture giv…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":695,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-best-of-you-5434878/episodes/what-to-do-when-pain-makes-god-feel-far-away/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-best-of-you-5434878/what-to-do-when-pain-makes-god-feel-far-away.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}