What to Do When You Feel Disconnected from God

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There are times in our lives when we have a disconnected feeling from God, like we’ve lost our passion for our pursuit of him. This feeling can lead us to feel stuck in our faith, not knowing how to find our way back on track. Hebrews 12:1-2 can help us identify that feeling and learn how to get past the blockade of distraction and sin.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Using this passage as a guide, here are four helpful steps for reconnecting with God.

#1 Lay Aside Your Weights

We sometimes feel as if God has pulled away from us, but in actuality, we have held onto things in our lives that have created that space between us and God, blocking our intimacy with him. This can come in many forms including people, busyness, disappointment with God, career, or social media. It can come from anything that diverts your attention or drains your energy away from God. Even service to others or your church can become a distraction.

Whatever your weight is, Hebrews 12:1 instructs us to set these things aside in order to regain our connection.

#2 Lay Aside Habitual Sin

When we sin, it creates feelings of guilt, and this guilt destroys our desire for intimacy with God, creating a gap between us and him. With a habitual, sin we are constantly reliving this cycle of sin, guilt, and repentance that wears on us and makes the space between us and God larger and larger.

By admitting our struggle and working to remove a habitual sin from our lives, we close that gap and progress towards re-establishing our walk with God.

#3 Walk in Your Purpose

Hebrews 12:1 also instructs us to follow the purposes God has for our lives. When we are living our lives outside of the purposes God has set out for us, there are feelings of unrest that eat away at us. That is when those doubts and questions of “Why am I here?” and “What is the point of my life?” creep in and make us doubt the value of our lives.

If you are searching for the purpose in your life, there are three things you can ask yourself: What are the negative experiences that God has or can use to help others? What do I know is wrong in this world and long to fix? What gifts and talents have other people affirmed in my life? These are questions that can help us decipher our purpose by revealing the passions God has put in our hearts.

#4 Focus On Jesus

Throughout scripture, God has said that if we pursue and draw near to him, he will draw near to us. To do this, we must do as Hebrews 12:2 says: focus our eyes on Jesus. It is not merely that we say we will spend more time with God, but we must commit to things like prayer, worship, fasting, and communing with other believers.

Making our relationship with God the top priority in our lives and dedicating our time and hearts to him will draw us back to him and help us mend the disconnections we feel.