Feeling Disconnected from God? Three Signs Your Faith Needs Reviving
I picked up an adorable cyclamen at the grocery store a few months back. She’s perched on my window sill and I admire her every morning when I pray.
Then life got busy, and I noticed my plant was failing. I gave her a big drink of water, crossed my fingers, and waited. She was back to normal by the end of the day. And then I neglected her again and again. Normal — Dry — Wilt — Revive. Her journey is similar to my life of faith. Everything’s seemingly fine, and then one day I realize I’m disconnected from God.
When life gets too busy, my daily time with God suffers. My focus dwindles. I get distracted by my phone instead of reading my Bible and praying. Before long I’m dry and wilting because I’m not getting the spiritual nutrition I need.
After almost fifty years of faith, you'd think I’d have this figured out, but unfortunately, this pattern pops up in my life from time to time, and it probably does in your life, too. We know Jesus offers us living water. When he met the woman at the well and asked her for a drink, he said, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10, NLT)
So if we have this wonderful gift, why do we stop drinking it? Especially when we know how crucial spiritual hydration is, how good Jesus’ water tastes, and the spiritual benefits it brings to our souls. Busyness and apathy quickly crowd out God, and we soon forget how wonderful it is to be filled by our Savior.
Signs You are Disconnected from God
So how do you know if you are disconnected from God? First, when your faith is dry and wilted, the desire to spend time with God dissipates. Daily devotions start to feel like a burden rather than a privilege. You may become weary or empty, and feel like your tank is running dry.
Second, you’ll notice your time with God won’t be as meaningful. You may put in the time, perhaps out of a sense of duty, but you’re simply going through the motions. As a result, you’ll be easily distracted by things like the news, social media, or the regular interruptions of daily life. Whatever pulls your attention, these distractions separate you from what matters most, and you become distant from God.
And third, you’ll become discouraged about your faith. Like the Psalmist writes,
“I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
Because of this, your spiritual growth won’t happen as easily as it did in the past. These desert times can be so discouraging if you’ve had many years of meaningful faith.
The Promise of Living Water
Staying connected to Jesus and his living water requires focus and self-discipline. When life gets difficult, we all have favorite coping mechanisms. Potato chips and binge-watching Netflix, anyone? But the best coping mechanism is more time with God. Think about Jesus’ promise: “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14, NLT). Don’t you want some of that?
Jesus’ living water is available to you right now, this very minute. You take a big drink of it when you put God first. Spending time with God before you begin your day is one of the surest ways to stay filled with him all day long. And there are so many benefits from spending time with God every day. A.W. Tozer said it beautifully: “As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once.”
Are you feeling a little thirsty?
If you’re feeling parched and would like some of Jesus’ living water, we’ve got good news for you! We designed a daily devotional app to help you stay connected with God every single day. It’s simple, beautiful, and meaningful. You can learn more at www.goodgroundapp.com.
Peace be with you.
Karla
Chief Content Curator
Good Ground Devotional App