What to Do When You Feel Disconnected from the Lord
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:13
I’m an Oklahoma girl through and through, so when we moved to the Bay Area of California I was a little shocked to find they had almost zero similarities, the main difference being the weather. In the Midwest, the weather has kind of a blanket effect for the entire region. If it’s raining, it’s probably raining in other parts of the state. If there’s a cold front, everyone within a tri-state region is most likely hunkering down for snowmaggedon. California is a completely different story. If it’s cloudy and cold where you are in the Bay, it could be 75 degrees and sunny a mere 20 miles away, all you have to do is go where the sun is.
Not surprisingly enough, I’ve gone through some dark times in my personal life since moving away from friends and family. But one of the best lessons I’ve learned since being here is that finding God in the dark times is sometimes like purposefully chasing the California sun when it’s foggy where you are.
Sometimes when we feel disconnected from God and can’t hear His voice, we think there’s nothing we can do about it. We stay put where we are and try to ride out the fog or the storm. But God, our light, is not hiding from us. We just have to work a little harder to be with Him.
Are you struggling to connect with the Lord? Is His voice fainter than usual and you worry you might never hear Him loudly again? You’re not alone. Whether it’s from grief following a tragedy out of our control (death, health issues, unexpected hardship) or our emotional distress after a sinful rebellion, we all go through seasons where we feel disconnected from God. But know this, friend: He is still there. He still hears you.
Proverbs 8:17 says “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”
Notice that it didn’t say halfheartedly or lackadaisically. It says diligently, meaning it might not be easy. But we will find Him when we seek Him! Sometimes we just have to create the space and put in the effort to hear His voice.
Like chasing the California sun, there are things we can do to draw toward the light when we feel surrounded by the fog and darkness.
- Dig into what you know about God’s character and His promises through His Word. Read your Bible and jot down notes about how the Lord reveals who He is, and why He’s trustworthy.
- Prepare your heart and worship. Get in your car or turn on your shower and sing praises to Him. Go somewhere you can let down your guard and fully commit yourself to worship (however that looks for you.)
- Evaluate the noise that is surrounding you and make some adjustments. Take inventory of how you’re spending your time. Are you overloading yourself with social media, TV, people or other subliminal messages that aren’t in alignment with finding Him?
- If you can, try to get away for a few days, even if that just means having a spiritual staycation at home. Get rid of distractions and go all-in on your time with Him, maybe even fasting if you feel called to do so.
- Ask your Christian sisters for prayer. I know this one requires a lot of vulnerability, but it’s important to remember that you’re not in a silo when it comes to your faith. If you’re struggling to come up with a name you can trust for prayer, call your church office (they almost always have the names of prayer warriors handy) or reach out to Wheat and Honey Co. We’re here to do life with you - that includes lifting you up in prayer when you’re in need!
God tells us that we will find Him when we seek Him diligently with all our hearts. No matter what you’re going through now, or might go through in the future, know that the Lord is worthy of your hope and He loves you with an everlasting love. Don’t give up your fight to connect with Him!
Meet the Author:
Jantzen Jolly-Miller is a small business marketing consultant and the founder of Emerge Church Solutions, a firm providing consulting and marketing services for churches who are structuring to grow. In addition to blogging for Wheat and Honey Co., she writes about personal takeaways from her life and faith walk to help women lead authentic lives and create positive change in their everyday routines on her IG @jantzenmiller and at JantzenJollyMiller.com.
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