How to Rebuild Intimacy with God After Losing Your Spiritual Zeal: When the Honeymoon is Over! Part 2

 

Rediscovering Your Love for Christ

Because falling out of love with your spiritual routine doesn't mean you've stopped loving God.

Scripture Focus: Revelation 2:4–5, James 4:8, Psalm 51:12

It can be easy to “fall out of love” with the church. It can be easy to lose your zeal for serving him. But, a season of dryness is not the end. Let us continue to explore ways to regain our intimacy with God.

Make Room for God in Your Everyday Life

One mistake we sometimes make is believing that intimacy with God can only happen during formal devotion time.

We think we need thirty uninterrupted minutes, a journal, a cup of coffee (I’m all for the cup of coffee), a worship playlist, and the perfect quiet atmosphere.

Now, don't misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with creating a beautiful devotional routine.

But what happens when life gets busy?

What happens when the children need you, work becomes overwhelming, or you're simply too exhausted to follow your usual schedule?

Does your relationship with God get placed on hold?

It shouldn't. But, too often it does. Too often, we are too tired or too sleepy to spend time with God…well, so we say.

But, in all honesty, we can still connect with God.

You can connect with God while folding laundry, driving to work, preparing dinner, or walking around your neighborhood.

We can continue our intimacy with him by talking to him often…we can ask him for wisdom before making difficult or even simple decisions. You can meditate on a scripture while waiting in line at the grocery store. You can turn off the television for ten minutes and sit quietly in His presence. And, as hard as it may seem, you can skip scrolling Tik Tok or Instagram and spend those precious moments with him.

Identify What Has Been Stealing Your Spiritual Attention

Let's be blatantly honest with ourselves. Our spiritual zeal doesn’t vanish overnight. It is slowly crowded out by the cares of the world.

We become busy with work, relationships, family responsibilities, social media, entertainment, financial concerns, and everything else competing for our attention.

Before we realize it, God receives whatever time and energy we have left. And, often that time is very little.

But we do need to examine our priorities.

Matthew 6:33 teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Ask yourself:

• What has been consuming most of my thoughts lately?
• Am I allowing distractions to replace my time with God?
• Have I become more concerned with worldly approval than spiritual growth?
• Is there an unhealthy habit, unresolved resentment, or ongoing disobedience affecting my relationship with Christ?
• Have I become so busy serving others that I've neglected my own spiritual health?

These questions aren't meant to produce guilt.

They're meant to encourage honest reflection.

Sometimes rebuilding intimacy requires removing a few distractions so we can hear what God has been teaching us through His Word.

And sometimes the issue isn't distraction at all. It may be exhaustion, grief, or a difficult season of life.

For me, it’s exhaustion. It’s work. Having to make a long commute and then deal with challenging students has pushed my alone time with God to the limit. I know…I know. You may be thinking that that commute time is the right time to spend with God. And, you would be right.

But, then, there are the friends who call during that commute time. They don’t seem to understand that these are some the moments I like to spend with the lover of my soul…God.

Regardless, I am finding that I have to choose when to answer those calls and when to let them wait. I am having to make a conscious decision to spend that time with God.

Stop Chasing Spiritual Highs and Start Building Spiritual Roots

Raise your hand if you’ve been on a spiritual high before. I confess. I sure have.  And, one of the challenges many of us Christians face after the honeymoon phase is the temptation to chase the emotional experiences we once enjoyed. We want another powerful worship service. Another conference that leaves us feeling spiritually refreshed. Another sermon that brings us to tears. Another moment when we feel completely overwhelmed by God's presence. Those experiences can be meaningful. But they cannot become the foundation of our faith.

Colossians 2:6–7 encourages believers to continue walking in Christ, rooted and built up in Him. This means developing habits that strengthen your relationship with God even when life feels ordinary. Read the Bible to understand God's character, not simply to find a verse that makes you feel better. Pray because you desire fellowship with Him, not only because you need an answer.

The goal isn't to feel spiritually excited every single day. The goal is to become spiritually grounded.

 Ask God to Restore Your Joy

We have to be like David. David in Psalm 51:12 prayed:

"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." — KJV

Notice what David asked God to restore his joy. There are seasons when we need to ask God to renew our hearts. Perhaps you've experienced disappointment. Maybe you've been praying about something for years and haven't received the answer you expected.

Maybe someone in the church hurt you.

Maybe you've been dealing with loss, loneliness, financial struggles, or family problems. And, somewhere along the way, your spiritual enthusiasm began to fade.

You still believe.

But you're weary.

Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest in Matthew 11:28. You don't have to manufacture joy. You can ask God to renew it. And, remember that joy doesn't always look like excitement, laughter, or emotional worship. Sometimes, joy looks like quiet confidence that God remains faithful even when life is difficult.

Rebuild Your Relationship with God One Small Step at a Time

One of the biggest mistakes we make when trying to reconnect spiritually is attempting to change everything overnight.

We decide we're going to pray for an hour every morning, read five chapters of the Bible daily, fast three times a week, and attend every church activity.

Then life happens.

We miss a day.

We become discouraged.

And before long, we've abandoned the entire plan.

Instead of creating an overwhelming spiritual routine, begin with a few small, meaningful habits.

Mature Love Looks Different from New Love

Here's something I wish more Christians understood:

You don't have to become the Christian you were when you first got saved. You can become a deeper, wiser, more spiritually mature version of that person.

The Christian you were in the beginning may have been filled with excitement, but you probably didn't understand everything you were going to experience along your spiritual journey.

You hadn't faced every disappointment. You hadn't endured every trial. You hadn't learned all the lessons that only come through time, obedience, and perseverance. But, now,  you've lived a little.

You've experienced prayers that were answered differently than you expected. You've survived seasons when you couldn't understand what God was doing. You’ve cried those silent tears in the night…like I have. And, you’ve learned that faith doesn’t always mean instant results.

It may mean you're being invited into a deeper understanding of what it means to follow Him. Think about Peter. He began as an enthusiastic disciple who boldly declared his loyalty. Yet, Peter also experienced fear, failure, and the pain of denying Christ.

Thankfully, Peter's failure wasn't the end of his story. And,  your season of spiritual dryness doesn't have to be the end of yours.

There is still room for growth.

There is still room for renewal.

There is still room for a deeper relationship with Christ.

The Honeymoon May Be Over, but the Relationship Isn't

If you've lost some of the spiritual excitement you experienced when you first became a Christian, don't assume your relationship with God is beyond repair.

You don't need to spend the rest of your Christian life chasing the person you were during your first few months of salvation. Instead, allow God to continue shaping the person you're becoming.

Remember, the goal of Christianity isn't to remain forever in the honeymoon phase. The goal is to grow into a lifelong, deeply rooted relationship with Jesus Christ.

And that relationship is worth nurturing, even when the feelings change.

 

How to Rebuild Intimacy with God After Losing Your Spiritual Zeal

When the Honeymoon is Over part 1

Because falling out of love with your spiritual routine doesn't mean you've stopped loving God.

Scripture Focus: Revelation 2:4–5, James 4:8, Psalm 51:12

Have you lost the excitement of going spending intimate time with God? Does going to church feel like a chore…just something else on your to do list? Do you remember when you first gave your life to Christ?

You couldn't wait to get to church. You wanted to read your Bible, listen to sermons, and tell everybody about the goodness of God. You were so excited to be free from that old life of sin.

You were on fire for God!

But, then life started lifeing. The bill came do, and the money was short. The kids weren’t acting right and neither was your spouse. Your job demanded more and more, so you didn’t have time to pray.

Now, you sometimes struggle to pray for five minutes. And, if you find time to pray…(usually in your car on the way to work)…it’s to ask God for something. It’s not the same intimate relationship you used to have with Him.

Your Bible sits unopened for days. And those powerful moments you once experienced in God's presence seem fewer and farther between.

You still believe in God. You still love Jesus. You haven't abandoned your faith. No, you couldn’t do that! Not after all the things God has brought you through.

I know for me the thought of going back to the old life of sin and shame is unthinkable.

But the fire doesn't seem to burn as brightly as it once did.

If you are experiencing this, you are not alone. There are many of us, Christians, who are experiencing the same thin.  This is the end of the spiritual honeymoon phase. The romance of first finding God is over. And, the really hard times have started. And, no, I am not talking about a valley experience. I am talking about the every day…boring…uneventful life of being a Christian.

The good news? Your relationship with God doesn't have to end just because the excitement has faded. In fact, this may be where a deeper, more mature relationship with Him begins.

Understand That Spiritual Excitement and Spiritual Intimacy Are Not the Same Thing

When we first become Christians, everything feels new. Remember, when you first got married? Remember when you first moved into your house? It’s the same kind of high.

You discover scriptures you've never heard before or if, like me, you’ve heard them, they take on a new meaning.

You experience the joy of forgiveness. We begin to recognize God's hand in our lives.

It's exciting!

But just like a marriage, our relationship with God cannot survive on excitement alone.

Think about a couple who has been married for twenty years. They may not experience the same butterflies they felt during their first few dates, but their love can become stronger, deeper, and more meaningful.

Why?

Because they've learned to love each other beyond their emotions.

The same principle applies to our relationship with God.

There will be days when worship feels powerful and days when you don't feel much of anything. There will be times when you eagerly open your Bible and times when reading a few verses of your Bible requires discipline.

Spiritual maturity means learning to pursue God even when the emotional excitement isn't there.

Your faith cannot be built entirely on how you feel.

Second Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we walk by faith, not by sight. That means we don’t walk by feelings. We don’t allow how we feel to dictate how we treat our relationship to God.

And, sometimes faith looks like opening your Bible when you don't feel inspired, whispering a prayer when you're exhausted (It can be a short one), or choosing obedience when your emotions are pulling you in another direction.

That's not necessarily a sign of weak faith.

Sometimes, that's what growing faith looks like.

Go Back to Your First Love

In Revelation 2:4–5, Jesus speaks to the church at Ephesus about something that should make every Christian examine their heart.

He tells them they have left their first love. Their first love was Christ. And, he should also be our first love.

What's interesting about all of this is that this particular church was doing many things right. They were working, persevering, and standing against false teaching.

Yet, something important was missing.

Their love had grown cold.

Does that sound familiar?

You can attend church every Sunday, serve on three committees, sing in the choir, teach Sunday school, and still feel spiritually disconnected.

I know for years, I attended a church where I was busy…busy…busy. I sang in the choir. I did the church programs. I decorated the church for every occasion. I posted all of the pastor’s sermons online. I wrote out all the church announcements. I was doing…doing. But, I was spiritually starving. I felt disconnected. It wasn’t a big disconnect, but I was spiritually stagnant…complacent.

I was busy doing things for God while neglecting time with God. I was busy doing, but I wasn’t growing. I wasn’t developing in my relationship with Christ.

And, sadly, that's where many Christians find themselves.

We become so accustomed to the routine of Christianity that we forget the relationship at the center of it.

Jesus calls the church to remember, repent, and return to the things they did at first.

Maybe it's time to remember what drew you to Christ.

Remember those moments when you knew you needed His grace.

Remember the prayers you prayed when you had nowhere else to turn.

Remember the peace you experienced when you finally surrendered something you had been trying to control.

But don't return simply to recreate an old feeling.

Return because the One who loved you then is still worthy of your love today.

Stop Treating Prayer Like Another Item on Your To-Do List

Somewhere along our Christian journey, prayer can become a routine we rush through instead of a conversation we treasure.

We pray before meals. We pray before bed. We pray when there's a problem.

But when was the last time you simply sat with God?

Not asking Him to fix anything.

Not presenting a list of needs.

Not rushing to get to the next activity.

Just spending time in His presence.

Don’t feel bad if your answer is not what it should be. I’m guilty too!

One of the greatest ways to rebuild intimacy with God is to change how you approach prayer.

You don't always need an elaborate prayer filled with beautiful words.

Sometimes, the most meaningful prayer is simply:

"Lord, I miss how close I used to feel to You. I don't know what changed, but I want to know You more deeply. Help me find my way back to a consistent relationship with You."

God already knows what's in your heart.

You don't have to pretend with Him.

If you're tired, tell Him.

If you're disappointed, tell Him.

If you're struggling with doubt, bring those questions to Him.

If you feel spiritually empty, acknowledge it.

The Psalms are filled with people expressing grief, frustration, fear, confusion, and longing before God.

Psalm 62:8 encourages us to pour out our hearts before Him.

Intimacy grows where honesty lives.

And sometimes rebuilding your prayer life begins with dropping the religious performance and simply being honest with your Heavenly Father.

When was the last time you were truly honest with God? So, today, do an evaluation of your life. Look at your relationship with Christ, and begin to rebuild your relationship with Him.

The Reasons the Blood is Important in the Life of Christians:

 

The Importance of the Blood of Jesus

The blood of Jesus Christ is important in the lives of all Christians. It was by Jesus’ blood that we were saved. His ultimate sacrifice at the cross was done so that each of us might have a right to life. Instead of being consumed and cast into the fire, our lives were spared when Jesus offered up his own. Although his disciples did not understand it at the time, Jesus had to die. It was only by the shedding of his blood…the blood of the lamb that we could each be saved. There is power in the blood of Jesus. The blood can heal, cleanse, protect, and even convict.

Heals

There is healing in the power of Jesus’ blood. His blood can heal us. When Jesus went to the cross, he took all of our sins with him. He took our shortcomings along with our sickness and disease.

The Bible tells us that “by his stripes we are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

As believers, we have this promise. Jesus died so that we might be saves. He died so that our illness and infirmity could be healed.

Cleanse

The Bible tells us that we are all as filthy rags before God. None of us are perfect nor are we without sin. We have all done things that were not right. Whether we told a “little white lie” on our taxes or we lied when our boss asked us if we were busy…we lied. If we have not paid our tithes as we should, then we are robbers. We have robbed God. We have lusted after things or people. There is not one of us righteous. No. Not one. So, we need the cleansing of the blood of Jesus.

 

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. “ (Romans 5:9)

 

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

 

For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the Lord dwells in Zion” (Joel 3:21)

 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

 

Protects

The blood provides protection for us. It helps to keep us safe from all of the tricks of the enemy. We are told that our enemy the Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. It is the blood of Jesus that keeps us protected from the wiles of the enemy.

The blood also provides protection from harm and danger. The last Plague that came to Egypt was the Death of the First Born. This plague took the lives of every first-born child in the land of Egypt.

 

Exodus 11:4-7 tells us that, “Then Moses said, ‘Thus says the Lord, “About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the hand mill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.””

 

The Israelites were instructed to place the blood of an unblemished lamb and smear it on the two side posts and the upper post of their doors. God tells them that this shall be a sign for the Destroyer to “Passover” their houses. The blood was an outward sign of their relationship to God. The blood of the lamb provided protection against the Destroyer who was to come.

When we enter the New Testament, we learn that Jesus was the unblemished lamb. He was slain, and his blood provides protect for those of us who are saved.

Today, we still have the same privilege. We  are covered under the blood of Jesus. And, we should pled the blood over everything that we value. This includes our children, our health, our jobs, our homes, and our jobs.

Convicts

Blood even has the power to convict us. It can convict us of our sins. When Cain killed Abel, Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground:

Genesis 4: 9-11~Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

 

Hebrews 11:4~By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Binds

The blood acts as a binding agent. It binds us to Christ. This is one of the reasons that we have Communion. When the disciples held the Last Supper with Jesus. He broke bread with them. The bread was a symbol of his body. And, the wine was a symbol of his blood that would soon be shed for the sins of the world.

 

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:25)

 

The blood of Jesus plays many roles in the life of Christians. It can save, convict, cleanse, heal, and bind. When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, we are no longer our own. We become willing servants to the living God. Our bodies are not our own. We were bought with a price…the price being the death of Jesus.

Blue Skies

Blue Skies

Even some of the best Christians can sometimes experience periods of depression and doubt. I know I am no different.

For the past few days, I have wrestling with some feelings of anxiety. I had some issues come up that made me question God about the “fairness” of my situation. And, to be honest, sometimes I would find myself getting angry because my finances are not what I want…no, need…them to be. I found myself quote this Psalms 37: 25 over and over… “I once was young, but now, I’m old. Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” But, it seemed to me like I was begging for bread. You know the routine: “Robbing Peter to pay Paul”…listening to adult children who still need help financial. It was so frustrating.

I was having these detrimental thoughts as I was driving down the highway. About the time I found myself getting angry, I lifted up my eyes toward heaven. The sky was stormy and raining. I couldn’t help thinking but thinking that my life was the same way. But, then the most amazing thing happened. I drive out of the storm and into clear, beautiful, blue skies. I couldn’t help but laugh. Then it dawned on me. My situation was just like the clouds and storm that I had just drove through. The storm was only temporary. At the end, there were blue skies. We go through life’s storms, but God is there with us. He knows our distress. He sees our tears, and he cares.

       So, I had to calm down and quote the following scriptures to myself:

        Proverbs 13: 22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

 

2 Chronicles 7: 14

   If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and heal their sins and heal the land.

 

Believe the Word of God

Believe the Word of God

It is so easy to say “I believe God”. However, it can be difficult to do just that. When times are tight or when the situation is dire, it can be almost impossible to trust God and not give in to ones fears.

I had a parent who asked me about her child. I kindly explained to the lady that I would do all I could for her son. However, instead of trusting me. The lady decided that she needed to come by every week. She constantly called and constantly asked other students what was going on in my classroom. This lady even decided that she needed to complain about me to other teachers. She stated that she just could not understand what I was doing or why.

 

I can understand that this lady was nervous about her child’s success. However, instead of making me do more for her child, she succeeded in alienating me. I was more than willing to spend extra time working with her son. But, her antics made me very angry. Yes, I still helped her child and worked with him. However, I was so insulted that she didn’t trust me to keep my word. I vowed to myself that I would not do anything extra for this lady or her child again.

In my anger with her, I realized that we treat God the same way this lady did me. We ask God to do something for us, but we don’t really trust him to keep his word. We don’t really believe God is concerned about our little problem. God tells us in his word that he is faithful. He states that he is not a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should repent. God states that he said it, and he would bring it to pass. He was faithful to Abraham. He was faithful to Isaac. He was faithful to the Children of Israel. God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we should ask or think. All he asks is that we have the faith of a grain of a mustard seed.

Sadly, most of us don’t have that childlike faith. We say we have faith, but do we really?

Just like this woman, we say we will trust, but we don’t. We get nervous. We become afraid as the winds and the water rise. However, we must learn to trust in the Lord. We must learn to lean not to our own understanding. Instead, we must believe God.

Numbers 23:19

Isaiah 40:8

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Matthew 17: 20