[1][2] Gold's friend Christine Lavin introduced the song to Nanci Griffith, who first recorded it for her 1987 album Lone Star State of Mind.

Julie Gold has stated that she believes in an immanent and beneficent God, and also thinks that people have a right to interpret the song any way they want, as with all art.

In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number six following a re-release in 1991, having originally failed to make the top 40 when released concurrently with Cliff Richard's version.

Larry Flick from Billboard described "From a Distance" as a "soothing hymn that invokes inspirational images similar to "Wind Beneath My Wings", adding that the song "proves that the Divine Miss M still has what it takes to tackle top 40 territory.

[10] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report felt the singer's Grammy for "Wind Beneath My Wings" "reaffirmed her innate ability to extract every single ounce of emotion out of a song.

"[11] Gene Sandbloom from The Network Forty found that the lyrics "manage to take in the globe (with a minimum of sugar) and deliver a song worth listening to a hundred times.

"[12] In a 2020 retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism stated that the song "showcases her magnificent vocality, coupled with lyrics entrenched in hope and peace.

The 2011 single directed by O'Riordan had vocal participation from several artists: Sinéad O'Connor, Tommy Fleming, Brian Kennedy, Daniel O'Donnell, Ann Scott, Moya Brennan, Charlie Landsborough, Patrick Sheehy, Lumiere and the Scottish Glasgow Gospel Choir.