To the girl in a spiritual rut,
You're doing all the right things; going to church, reading your Bible. But God feels so far away. At this point, you're going through the motions, or maybe you've stopped trying so hard. Maybe you're struggling to open your Bible or wholeheartedly worship. Either way, God feels far, and it can be hard to get back into that "spiritual high", or at least where your Bible study doesn't feel so difficult.
Recently I've been in a bit of a spiritual rut myself. I'm not going through anything "bad" in my life necessarily, but I do feel far from God. I'm struggling to be passionate about what I read during my Bible study as I trek through the laws of Exodus and Leviticus. This lack of passion has turned into a lack of prayer, which leaves my heart craving the joy I only find in communion with God.
But recently at church, I silently prayed that God would open my heart to find Him. That He would forgive me for the lack of passion and effort, and that He would guide me back to the place of intimacy and closeness. My heart whispered to me that I needed to be still, to make space for prayer and conversation again. And when I made space for that in my Bible study last night, it didn't fix everything, but helped me move towards my Heavenly Father. In that stillness, God reminded me that He is with me through it all, and that He still promises to take me higher.
Friend, maybe today you need to be still with God in prayer. Turn off the music and the distractions. Just lay it all out there for God. Pour out how you are feeling, how He seems far, and release it all. He's listening. And then be quiet. You probably won't hear an audible voice from God, but you might hear a quiet whisper in your soul. You might feel a simple yet profound peace. Maybe you won't experience any of those, but you can rest knowing that God heard you and He cares for you. Being still won't "unstick" you, but it is a good step forward.
If you're feeling stuck, please don't stop. Don't stop reading your Bible, praying, or worshipping. Don't stop believing. Our feelings fluctuate so much that just because we feel something doesn't make it true. God has never not come through for you in the past, so why would He abandon you now? Yes, I know, it feels so very hard. I've been there, girl, and I really do understand. But these feelings don't last forever.
God is doing a good thing in your life, friend. He has a good plan for you, and this "rut" will not last forever. No matter how you feel, God has never left you. You aren't alone in feeling distant from God, but time and time again He has come through. Not only in your life, but the lives of countless others.
The Israelites cried out to God when they were trapped between the Egyptians and the Red Sea. David cried out to God when He seemed far many, many times in the Psalms. Hannah cried out to God in the temple when she felt like He had left her. Jesus cried out to God as He hung on the cross. And what did God do? He parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could cross on dry land, and then covered the Egyptians in the water. He protected David from his enemies and offered grace in the midst of his sin. He blessed Hannah with not one child, but six. He rose Jesus from the grave, three days later, to conquer death and sin for any who chose to follow Him. God came through. And He will come through for you.
All of these people experienced feeling far from God more than once. But God always, always came through. Maybe not as quickly as they would have liked or in the way they planned, but God never abandoned them. God might not come through on your timing or according to your plan, but He will pull through.
I so badly wish I could give you a step-by-step plan of how to feel closer to God again, but unfortunately, I can't. What I can tell you is this: Satan wants you to feel far from God. He wants you to think that God's given up on you. He wants you to give up on your relationship with Jesus all together. But we don't have to let the devil win. Every time we open our Bible, whisper a prayer, or lift our hands in worship is declaring that God is good and that we seek Him. Even if we don't feel like it, and even if it's hard, every little thing helps. And Jesus meets us in those little things.
My friend, you are not alone. God has not left you. I promise. Seek Him and make space for stillness and prayer. He will come through and bless you beyond what you can imagine.
Like I've mentioned in other posts, worship is one of my favorite ways to connect and seek the Lord. Recently a song called "Same God" by Elevation Worship really spoke to me about how God always comes through, and I pray that it encourages you as well.
If you've been feeling like you're in a spiritual rut lately, please let me know in the comments so that I can pray for you. Or, if you have any advice for someone in the midst of that rut right now, please drop it in the comments so that we can encourage each other!
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