How to Reconnect With God: 11 Ways
I periodically experience times when God seems distant. For no identifiable reason, I feel disconnected from him. I don’t sense his presence during worship; prayer feels like a chore instead of a life-giving time of connection; and reading my Bible feels like a task on my to-do list rather than reading a letter from the One I love. At these times, I need to remember how to reconnect with God.
If you can relate, you’re in the right place. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you reconnect with God.
How to Reconnect With God
Most of us will face such times in our faith. When these times come, I’ve learned to stand on the promise that God never changes and will never leave or abandon me (Deuteronomy 31:6).
My ever-changing feelings might be telling me he has turned away from me, but we cannot trust our feelings as anchors of truth. God never turns his back on his children. Even when we turn away from him in deliberate disobedience, he pursues us (Psalm 23:6; Hosea 2:14).
Scripture clearly illustrates God’s posture toward us. I recently read through the book of Exodus. In chapters 25-27, God offered instructions for building the Ark of the Covenant, where God’s presence rested prior to the Incarnation. He offered details for building the Tabernacle, a traveling tent where his people would gather to worship and offer sacrifices and prayers.
Part of the Tabernacle included curtains. These curtains were used in various parts of the Tabernacle to separate the people from the holiest parts of the structure. Thick curtains surrounded the Holy of Holies, the place where God’s presence dwelled. Only the high priest was allowed to enter within this veil, and this took place just one time per year when he entered to make atonement for the people.
God’s Desire for Nearness With Us
When I read about these curtains, my mind always leaps ahead to the even described in Matthew 27:50-51: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.”
When Jesus died on the cross, the heavy curtain suddenly ripped, torn in two from the top to the bottom. Only God could have done this.
God tore the curtain to show that his people were no longer separated from him. They no longer needed a priest to approach God on their behalf. Jesus served as the high priest once and for all, granting them free access to God—no divisions, no veils, and no human mediators needed.
What an astonishing demonstration of God’s desire for a relationship with his children!
Certainly, when God was giving his people these instructions for making the curtains generations before Jesus’ sacrifice, he was thinking about the future day when he would tear the veil.
When I’m experiencing a time of feeling distant from God, I remind myself of the torn veil. My loving heavenly Father is always waiting for me—pursuing me—with open arms.
God Pursues Us: How to Reconnect With God
This is true for all followers of Jesus. If you feel disconnected from God, here are a few steps to help you reconnect with him.
1. Look toward God first thing every morning.
Looking toward God before climbing from bed every morning also helps me stay connected with him throughout the day. For several years, I repeated Psalm 118:24 every morning immediately after waking up: “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
I don’t always repeat this verse, but I try to begin my days by greeting God, thanking him for his goodness, or taking a moment to surrender the upcoming day to him.
(Read here for more thoughts on speaking God’s Word first thing every morning.)
2. Renew your mind with God’s Word.
As I’ve shared in the past, our family memorizes one verse together every week (or two, or three, or four weeks!). We write it on a piece of paper and hang it on the fridge. Every morning, we practice reading and speaking the verse together. This practice renews our minds and shapes our hearts.
Often, I overhear the kids speaking our verses when they face challenging or upsetting circumstances.
God’s Word renews our minds.
Hiding it in my heart helps me keep my thoughts focused on him, provides comfort in difficult moments, and serves as an offensive weapon when the enemy attacks my mind.
3. Regularly ask God to search your heart and show you if you have unconfessed sin your life.
If he reveals something to you, confess your sin to him, repent (ask God to help you turn away from your sin and turn toward him), and receive his forgiveness.
4. Remember how to reconnect with God by helping and loving others.
We can also connect with God by asking him to show us the needs surrounding us and stepping up to meet those needs.
Stop to chat with a lonely neighbor, write a note to your child’s teacher, or leave a gift in the mailbox for the mail carrier. Cook your husband’s favorite meal. Pick up trash on the side of the road.
As we serve others, God fills our hearts with his love and joy.
5. End the day with God.
Before falling asleep at night, I often review the day with God. I sort through what went well and what didn’t. I celebrate the victories and grieve the losses.
Most of the time, I fall asleep during this process. I used to feel frustrated about falling asleep while trying to pray; however, a few years ago, an older, wiser friend asked, “Do you get angry when your kids fall asleep in your arms, or does it feel like a gift?”
6. Enter into God’s Word.
In addition to memorizing Scripture, I’ve learned to read slowly and create space to enter into God’s Word.
I often imagine myself immersed in the scenes described in the Bible. Imagining I’m the blind beggar along the road, an onlooker watching Jesus perform a miracle, or a disciple watching Jesus teach helps me to connect with Jesus in a fresh way every time I read in this way.
7. Reconnect with God in nature.
Since childhood, I’ve connected with God most easily and naturally in his created world.
God’s created world reveals his glory and magnifies the work of his hands.
Watch the sunset. Take a slow walk through the woods. Hang a bird feeder outside the window. Visit a local park.
Use this time to slow down, sort through your thoughts, and talk to God.
8. Sort through your feelings with him.
In her book, I Shouldn’t Feel This Way, Dr. Allison Cook offers a basic framework for bringing our overwhelming emotions to God: First, we ask God to help us specifically identify and name our difficult emotions; second, we frame our emotions by considering how long we’ve been struggling, why we’re struggling, and what we want to be different; third, we brave new paths by taking God-directed action according to our realizations.
Facing difficult emotions is never easy, but learning to work through them with God and others is essential for growth. I’ve learned that God wants to help me name my feelings, sort through them with compassion and curiosity, and follow him into action or resolution.
He is waiting to connect with you, too.
9. Seek his face.
Here are some of my favorite ways to draw near to God: I go to my bedroom, close the door, light a candle, and talk to him as I would talk to a friend; I listen to worship music and imagine him holding me; I meet with a close friend to pray together; I open my Bible to the book of Psalms and read slowly, soaking in the words; I take a slow walk in nature and talk to God; I write God a letter or pour my heart out in my journal.
10. Reconnect with God by authentically connecting with other people.
Last year, a friend suggested a book called How People Grow by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend (Thank you, friend!). A foundational premise of this book is that we heal and grow through relationships with others.
Seeking God individually is important, but living openly and sharing our hearts with others is essential for growth.
I tend to lean toward independence and introversion, which makes the following reminder from this book especially important for me to remember:
“Many people, however, find themselves cut off from the church and the healing and protective functions it provides. In their isolation—or at least the isolated growth plan they are using—they are easy prey for the gates of hell to overpower them. This is analogous to Jesus’ story about the shepherd and his sheep (Luke 15:3-7). Wolves do not attack an entire herd. They attack the one lamb that has wandered off the path. This is the one who is in danger. As Jesus said, he would leave the ninety-nine to fetch and return the wandering one.”
Throughout the past months, God has healed some deep wounds in my heart, and this has happened exclusively because of the love and care of other people. As I reflect on this, I’m amazed that God has used the care of others to heal, in a very short period of time, wounds that have existed in the darkness of obscurity for decades. There is power in finding this kind of support.
11. Don’t give up.
Dear friend, the Creator of the universe longs for a close relationship with you. If he seems distant, don’t give up. Continue seeking him. He probably won’t reveal himself according to your expectations, but he promises to draw near to you when you draw near to him—whether you feel him or not.
Read here for 11 practical ways to reconnect with God. #seekingGod #faith Share on XCalling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Calling All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Find Peace in God’s Presence
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
