In the age of Christian influencers, it’s not uncommon to scroll through Instagram and see posts proclaiming, “I just feel so close to God today!” or sharing emotional encounters with the Holy Spirit over a perfectly filtered sunset. While these moments can be inspiring, they often perpetuate a feelings-led faith that struggles to hold up when life gets messy.
I know because growing up attending countless Christian conferences, retreats and youth rallies, I’ve heard phrases like these over and over again.
“I feel so close to God.”
“My relationship with God is really strong right now.”
“I can definitely feel the Holy Spirit at work in my life.”
Such expressions are especially common among new believers on fire for God or after someone experiences a profound encounter, like a miraculous healing. And in those moments, the emotions feel real and raw.
But what happens when the spiritual high fades?
For many, those uplifting declarations are soon replaced with laments:
“I feel so spiritually dry right now.”
“Why can’t I hear God’s voice?”
“I’m unable to feel God’s presence in my life.”
It’s easy to feel close to God when life is good and emotions are running high. But when distractions creep in, responsibilities pile up, or circumstances take a turn for the worse, that initial fire often fizzles out. Many believers slip back into old habits: prioritizing Netflix over quiet time, scrolling social media instead of scripture, or simply claiming they’re too “busy” for God.
The cycle continues until the next conference or retreat reignites the spark. This rollercoaster of emotion exposes a critical issue—basing our relationship with God on feelings rather than faith.
Faith Over Feelings
Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that our salvation is through faith, not emotions. Feelings are fickle and fleeting, shaped by circumstances and the ever-deceptive heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Treating God like a Wifi signal—strong one day, spotty the next—misses the point.
Instead of chasing the next spiritual mountaintop, we should focus on cultivating a steady, daily connection with God. And the key to that is discipline. It’s no coincidence that “discipline” and “disciple” share the same root. To follow Jesus is to embrace a life of intentional, consistent effort.
Building Spiritual Muscle
Like maintaining physical health, spiritual health requires ongoing work. People who achieve dramatic weight loss will tell you that the real challenge isn’t shedding pounds—it’s keeping them off. Similarly, maintaining a strong faith requires daily commitment, not occasional bursts of effort.
Jesus Himself modeled this. After His baptism—a literal mountain-top moment—He was immediately led into the wilderness, where Satan tested Him for 40 days. It’s a reminder that faith grows not in moments of ease but in seasons of struggle.
Staying disciplined means showing up even when you don’t feel like it. That could mean reading a single verse when you’re drained or offering a quick prayer in a hectic moment. Small, consistent steps keep the momentum going. Staying spiritually grounded isn’t about chasing highs but cultivating steady habits that sustain you through life’s ups and downs.
The Necessity of Prayer and Scripture
Prayer is to the spiritual life what breathing is to the physical life. The word “spirit” comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning “breath.” Just as we need air to survive, we need prayer to stay spiritually alive.
Similarly, engaging with scripture isn’t optional—it’s essential. Reading the Bible regularly, not just when we “have time,” strengthens our faith, shapes our character, and keeps us connected to God’s truth.
For instance, say you are writing a book. Some days you might feel that the ideas just aren’t coming to you or that you need a break after weeks of writing non-stop. But taking a day off could easily lead to two days off, then a week and the next thing you know it’s been months since you’ve added anything to your story. True writers write even when they don’t feel like it. It could be as little as one additional word. The point is you are continuing to make progress. Similarly, reading the Bible—even just one verse—and praying even when we aren’t “feeling it” is imperative if we want to continue growing in our relationship with God. It’s not a way we gain God’s favor or love—we already have that through what Jesus has done for us—but it’s a way we keep a strong relationship with Him.
Rather than treating spiritual highs like a drug that wears off, we must embrace the reality that following Jesus requires discipline, dedication and most of all, faith. The good news? God’s presence isn’t dictated by our feelings. He remains constant — even when our emotions don’t.
