Not Feeling Close to God

Not Feeling Close to God                                              June 23, 2024

Have you ever gone through a period where you just don’t feel as close to God?  Sure, you are still attending worship and you still live a very moral life – but you just feel your spiritual life has become stale or stagnant.

Satan loves those periods.  Because his hope is he can keep you in this “funk” and have his way with you, as you drift aimlessly through life.

I want to gently remind you God hasn’t moved – so if you are feeling stagnant, the cause is coming from you.  Maybe you have gotten too busy or maybe you’ve allowed more worldly influences into your life.  Whatever the reason, I want to share a few things you can do if you are currently experiencing this.  (Maybe consider posting this list on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror for the next time you find yourself in this situation.)

1. Draw closer.  Wake up and open His Word.  Don’t think about doing it, actually start tomorrow morning.  Spend 10-15 minutes in His Word every morning.

2. Serve.  Identify someone you can take a meal to, cut their grass, or do an errand for.  Don’t just offer, do it.

3. Minister.  Check on your shut-ins.  You know, the ones in the bulletin that you see their names every week.  Spend some time checking on them in person or on the phone.

4. Encourage.  Take 5-10 minutes from your day and text family, friends, and church family to encourage them

5. Think on these things!  Set strict limits on your phone and television usage, and then turn it off!!  Stop aimlessly scrolling.  Stop watching mindless videos.  Instead, spend time thinking on good things.

6. Evangelize.  Reach out to that one person you know you should be talking to about Jesus.  Send them an email or text and invite them to study.  Don’t worry over it – just do it.

7. Praise Him.  Get outside and take a walk.  Turn off outside distractions and just focus on God and His amazing creation.  I would encourage you to do this daily.

8. Thanks Him.  Spend a few minutes before bed giving thanks to God for all the many ways He has blessed you.  Take the time to identify specific things – maybe even writing them down.

9. Eat better.  Sometimes our diet and lack of exercise put us into a funk that becomes cyclic.  We don’t exercise because we feel bloated and tired.  But we feel bloated and tired because of what we ate.

10. Pray.  And not just before you eat.  Find some time in your car or at home to really talk to Him.  Share what is going on in your life.

I assure you, if you practice these things that stagnant feeling will go away – and you will feel closer to Him.

Now, it’s your turn, what would you add to this list?  What have you found to help you improve your spiritual life?                                         By Brad Harrub