When We Feel Disconnected From God

That all too familiar sound of the alarm goes off. Snooze is hit until anxiety of being late to work forces me out of bed. I get dressed, pack my things, and head downstairs to make God’s liquid gift to the earth; and like clockwork, all the thoughts start rushing in like a flood. Sometimes I feel like the dog from the movie “Up” that yells “squirrel!” in the middle of conversations (If you haven’t seen that movie, you’re missing out!). My mind and emotions beckon me to wander from my God-given purpose as I muster up the strength to get through the next several hours free from the distraction of my own thoughts.

Do you know that feeling? 

The battle of the mind is real and potentially crippling to our calling. The thoughts that show up uninvited in our heads, beckoning us to give them more room in our day than necessary can feel like a never-ending war: I can’t do another day, I’m so tired, the list never ends, another day another upsetting news headline, I don’t have purpose, no one values how much I do, will this relationship ever be fixed? Will I ever be content? Is this all there is? Are my dreams even possible? Does God hear my cries? What if…

And the list could go on.

I have a few of those thoughts every day, and maybe you do, too. But somehow we keep on going, because well, we have to; and suddenly, life just becomes about surviving another day. 

And sometimes that’s a huge win for the struggling heart – making it through another 24 hours. If that’s where you’re at, I am cheering you on to keep going even when everything inside is screaming to give up; because you have a divine purpose no one else can fulfill!

Deep down within ourselves, we know living wasn’t meant to be this excruciating; rather, the very hands that formed our innermost being tell us there is a much healthier and livelier way to cope – to even thrive through this chaotic life (Psalm 139). 

In John 15, Jesus tells us the key to our greatest joy, and it’s a curveball worth letting settle deep into our hearts and slow out rollercoaster of thoughts:

“Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me…These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (15:4,11 NASB)

Joy. Made. Full. I want that to be my daily reality, not the distraction-filled, too busy to pause and listen to God’s voice reality I so often find myself living.

I’ve struggled to understand, let alone live, the concept of remaining or abiding. It all seems so metaphorical and less practical for living. However, as I’ve pondered the idea of “abiding,” a common theme stands out like a flower in a field of weeds.

The original greek word for “abide” means to “stay, remain, or wait for.” Like a branch that relies on the nutrients of a vine, we are utterly dependent on Jesus to fill us up and satisfy our every need and longing. 

As humans, feelings of emptiness can come on quickly, and if we choose to detach ourselves from the vine’s source of abundant life, we will be stuck in mental, spiritual, and emotional misery for as long as we choose to resist His abundance. Trust me, I’ve been there. 

Staying connected to God can feel like a daunting, even overwhelming task. I’ve struggled to abide in Him out of obligation rather than worship; out of guilt rather than gratefulness; out of duty rather than because of His grace.

God is love, so remaining in Him is staying put in His love – daily. There is no pressure to get it all right, get it all done, or check off all the “items” on the long list of demands we make for ourselves. There is only love. There is only grace. There is only Jesus taking our burdens as we choose to connect with Him moment by moment.

For me, I need Him every minute of those 24 hours, and if I don’t pause to check in with my Creator often, I start to wander and stumble throughout every task, conversation, or rambling thought. And I’ve discovered that abiding in Him is when I am at my best, most fulfilled, and satisfied self.

But that’s not the point, is it?

The whole goal of our existence is to do our best in His strength to give glory to God in everything we do. Matthew 6:33 puts it better than I ever could:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” (NASB)

The point isn’t to run ourselves dry by trying harder; the truth is, we can’t be any more accepted and loved by God than we are right now – because His affection is perfect. 

Therefore, remaining in the value and care He has for us is how we reach the “point” of it all.

So when it all comes down to it, what is remaining in Jesus? It will look different for everyone and there is no mold we need to fit our lives into, but here are some ideas I hope we can all take to heart:

Abiding in Him is waking up each day, purposing in our hearts to seek His agenda over our own. It’s talking to Him throughout the day (I’m working on this one). It’s scheduling time to spend in His word. It’s sending an encouraging text to a friend or family member. It’s stepping into the middle of the spiritual battle and brokenness we see and praying for friends, family, the nation, and the world. It’s crying out to Him with everything in our hearts. It’s living our lives in such a way that draws people to the hope we have.

It’s repeating over and over (every minute if we have to) that we are loved no matter what and no feeling of failure can stop God from completing His work in and through us. 

Staying connected to the vine goes beyond fifteen minutes of quiet time in the morning. It’s a lifestyle and a discipline that results in the greatest joy we will ever experience this side of Heaven. 

So, take heart and take your overwhelmed mind to Him. Your place in God is secure forever and the pressure is off to get it all right or get it all done. 

It’s time to abide and let God do the rest. 

Much love, 

-Dee