How to feel more connected to God. In church, we often put on our brave faces like we don’t have any shortcomings hiding in the closet of our souls.
But if we were to be real with ourselves our hands may be raised in praise but our hearts have been brought low by the lies that we believe.
If we continue to believe these lies we will never learn how to feel more connected with God. So what is the answer? Many times we feel like the answer is a change in form.
For example, when we aren’t feeling a connection with God we feel like we just need some new spiritual tool. We say things like this.
I’m not feeling connected to God at my church so maybe I will find another one that will do it.
I’m not feeling like reading my Bible so all I have to do is get a new Study Bible.
I’m not feeling community in my small group so I need to move groups.
My prayers feel like stale bread so I need someone else to pray on my behalf.
We all do it. Even as a pastor I have fallen into the trap of feeling like a new spiritual tool will be the silver bullet.
But there is good news. You can feel connected to God once again. And without changing any of your study materials. So read on to discover how to replace the lies that are sabotaging our connection with God with the truth that will set you free.
The answer to feeling more connected to God is not more material about God. But instead changing what we believe about God.
Disconnect from the Lie that perfection is the answer to how to feel more connected to God
If we are not careful the enemy will sell us the lie that perfection is the only answer on how to feel more connected to God.
We would never tell anyone else this is what we think. Nor would we voice it in these exact words.
The Enemies Oldest Trick
But still, it is the devil’s oldest trick in the book. How old you might ask? It goes all the way back to the beginning. What did Adam and Eve do when they broke the one rule they had to follow. They hid from God when He called.
It is a vicious cycle. We give in to temptation thinking we will obtain some missing pleasure in our life that will complete us.
And then afterward the enemy twists the knife of regret deep into our heart. He puts thoughts into our heads that sound like this.
Why would God want you after what YOU have done?
You have gone too far so YOU surely cannot come back to the Father.
The forgiveness of God surely can’t cover what YOU have done.
But the cross of Christ tells us a new story. And not only the cross but the entirety of scripture. David was an adulteress and murderer.
Solomon was a womanizer. Peter denied Jesus three times at the very moment Jesus needed him most.
But guess what God forgave every single one of them. The enemy wants you to put out of your mind the all-sufficient sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Because without the cross our connection to God is lost. But the truth is that we don’t have to be afraid to approach God in our failure and weakness.
Because our sin didn’t stop Jesus from approaching us by taking our place on the cross. It shouldn’t stop us from approaching the source of our salvation.
When the enemy tries to take you back to the scene of your forgiven sin. Take him back to the scene of his defeat at calvary.
Disconnect the lie that good times equal god times
There is one dangerous downside to the good times in life. That is we can begin to chase after the dopamine rush of good things instead of a truly good God.
A great family is awesome.
A great career is awesome.
A great health report is awesome.
But unfortunately, pride comes before a fall. We have to realize the truth that we will only truly be satisfied with God. But often in the good times we are less pressured to seek Him.
So the less we seek Him the less connected we feel towards Him. It’s almost as we can feel Him slipping through the cracks of our blessed life. The enemy wants us to focus on the counterfeit “good” of this world.
That means to replace the good and joyous satisfaction of an ongoing relationship with God with the fleeting good feelings of today’s blessings. And unlike God, every blessing has an expiration date.
So we have to take the initiative to go after our good God even in the good times when we feel like we got this.
The more we read His word, pray passionately, and fellowship with His people we will feel more connected to Him. Sure at first you may feel nothing.
But it is very similar to when you change your lifestyle. At first, you crave what is bad for you. But as you change your habits your cravings change to what is good for you.
So disconnect from trusting in the good thing of life and connect to the eternal blessing of a relationship with a good Father.
At the root of our dissatisfaction is expecting creation to give us joy that can only be found in Jesus.
Disconnect the Lie that feelings have the final say
If you don’t have an issue with the two points above this third one probably fits. Feelings are often why we can’t figure out how to feel more connected to God.
Think about it. When you are in the middle of a moving worship service you feel close to God. The band is perfect, the preaching is on fire, and the seats are comfortable.
But what about on the highway with crazy drivers flying past you? Or at your house on a weeknight? What about when you fail miserably or experience victory?
Feelings Vs Facts
Our feelings are important. But they simply are not the facts. And the enemy loves nothing more than to chip away at the validity of what Christ has done through cultivating our misleading feelings. Connexus church has a good article on this found here.
So when we wonder how to feel more connected to God we have to do one thing. We have to stop listening to our feeling and start listening to how God feels.
Luckily we have direct evidence of how God feels about us. He knew our condition and missteps yet crucified His Son for our salvation.
So when the enemy tries to lead us to falsely stand on how we feel. We have to stand on what God says and what God has done.
God says we are redeemed.
God says that we belong to Him.
God says He will be with us.
God said all He needed to through what he did to save us.
We have to realize that our feelings of inadequacy do not change the truth that we are found adequate through what Christ has done.
so may we disconnect the lies that our feelings are the authority on where we stand with God. While choosing to connect to the truth that what God has done on the cross and what He has said in His Word are the final authority.