5 Ways to Reconnect with God
How to reset when ministry work overtakes your relationship with God
We believe in the personal work of developing your relationship with God separatefrom the work of the ministry. Admittedly, this is easier said than done but any effort you put into your relationship with Jesus will be exponentially rewarding.
Here’s a few tips to try if you find yourself in a slump, stagnant or not in the strongest place with your personal devotion:
1. Be intentional- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “Is it as genuine if I have to try at it?” YES! Because much like a relationship with other humans, there are ebbs and flows to this thing and some effort may be required to get back on track.
God never distances Himself from us (Hebrews 13:5) and His Spirit is a constant reminder of this (Ephesians 1:13), but as humans we have a tendency to let the cares of this world distract us resulting in less focused attention on the role that we play in the relationship.
Thankfully, like a human relationship, there are some steps we can take to once again cultivate a healthy, vibrant and passionate relationship with the Lord. Here a few:
Schedule time for personal prayer, worship and devotion. That’s right, put it on your calendar. You put the dentist. Why not put Jesus down there too? Everyday. You pick the time and place and keep a standing appointment with the King. Most digital calendars allow you to set alerts and reminders to help the appointment not slip through the cracks. Isn’t Jesus worthy of that??
Do a Bible reading plan through YouVersion. I LOVE YouVersion! There are so many terrific plans and it allows you to set up notifications to remind you to do them. You can even find plans specifically geared “reset,” “return to God” or similar topics! What are you waiting for? You probably already have the app!
Take a break from serving in the church. While this may seem extreme, only you know if this is the right decision for you. Ultimately, your time with Jesus is more important than your time with a church building if that’s all it’s become to you. Perhaps a month off or being scheduled less frequently will allow you to truly plug in when you’re at a church service.
2. Recognize that things may look differently now. I found myself at the beginning of 2021 saying, “God, light a fire in me like I used to have in high school,” and the Lord said, “You’re not the same person you were in high school. I have something new.” Isaiah 43:19 tells us that “new” is God’s nature and character.
While your old relationship with God may have been great, it can be even better today. There’s no need to live in the past concerning your relationship with God any more than you’d want to live in the past regarding natural human relationships.
You’ve got new circumstances, new problems, new relationships and maybe even a whole new zip code and God wants to match that in how He moves in your life. Ask God to give you something new and expect Him to meet you!
3. Seek accountability. I’m not telling you that having a distant relationship with God is sin. Holy Spirit will have to personally reveal that to you. But I can tell you that having a distant relationship with God isn’t His best for you because you’re His child.
James 5:16 tells us that we can experience true healing when we let others in on our sin and shortcomings. If you are struggling in your personal devotion, tell a spiritually mature, trusted friend or leader.
Ask them to help you stay on track and give them permission to ask you tough questions like, “Have you been reading your Bible? What have your prayer habits been like? Are you focused and listening at church or just filling a seat?” Giving a trusted friend permission to fill this role will likely motivate you to not want to let them or Jesus down in this area. (Obviously, it’s all about Jesus but you get what I mean. Peer pressure works…)
4. Diversify resources. (This relates somewhat to tip 2)- You don’t have to read the same Christian authors you always have, listen to the same worship band or even follow the same preachers you’ve historically liked. Branching out can be fun and cause you to consider different ideas you may have never encountered before.
*Consider this one a “spice it up” recommendation to get back in the swing of things.*
5. Be gracious with yourself. It’s cliché but true: “Life is a marathon, not a sprint,” and the same is true in Christianity. It’s totally okay if you don’t knock it out the park every single day but it’s not okay to not try. Jesus deserves better.
Don’t treat your relationship with God like a diet where you mess up at breakfast so you throw the whole day away eating Big Macs and stuffed crust pizzas. Don’t let shame keep you from your relationship because of one or a series of mishaps.
I’ve seen it happen so many times. A bad season becomes a bad year, becomes a bad decade and it all started with one schedule change, one moral failure or one misunderstanding between believers.
Wherever you are in your relationship, right this very moment, start now. Take a step towards the Father. I guarantee He’s waiting with open arms to receive you (Luke 15:20-24).
Scripture References
'Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”'
Hebrews 13:5
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/HEB.13.5
'And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. '
Ephesians 1:13
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/EPH.1.13
'For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.'
Isaiah 43:19
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/ISA.43.19
'Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. '
James 5:16
https://my.bible.com/bible/116/JAS.5.16
'“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.#15:21 Some manuscripts add Please take me on as a hired servant.’ “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.'
Luke 15:20-24