hey I’m Courtney one of the writers on here. So I wanted to write about how to get out of a funk with your relationship with god, your not alone I’ve been there also and I am sharing Some ways that you can break that and get back in alignment with god so I hope you enjoy this.
A funk is when you don’t feel connected or you don’t feel as excited or you just feel blah and not as either purposeful or as deep in a relationship as you wished you were.
But some of us never get out of the funk or we just go through the motions not knowing what to do.
Mostly being in a funk has to do with us, never God, God never goes away from us, either we’re angry, afraid, depressed, even sin, the past, the storm your going through, pushing away from anything, no faith, no hope, but it has to be us to go to him even if it mean going there, yes even when we don’t want to.
Now today I will be talking about how to get out of a funk with our relationship with God, I’ve been there, we’ve all been there and maybe your going through it right now.
Now the thing I want you to not do, do not 1. Compare yourself to your moms relationship with God, your friends or your church bible study group’s relationship with God no this is your relationship which totally looks different than the person next to you, 2. Don’t follow the person next to you's relationship there in a totally different season than you are in, every season of life is different than the next person now you can seal advice but don’t go and follow what they are doing. You have your own race to run.
“A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. And let us keep on running the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1 NIRV
It clearly says let us run the race marked out for us. That means to not follow the person who looks all together, to not copy what their doing. But to do the journey God has set for us with his lead even when we’re in a funk, that doesn’t mean God is not present he is even when we don’t feel him.
So I am going to break down some ways to change it up and to guide and hopefully help you into where God is trying to take you.
First let’s talk about prayer:
•get in a quiet spot if you have others distracting you then it’s hard to connect get in a room, back yard, even a walk to the beach (lucky if you have a beach near you), park, front porch, basically where it’s quiet and you can connect with God
• turn off notification on your phone, you can people I’ve done it, Instagram can wait, Facebook can wait.
•Pray about any sin, any fear, doubt, depression, even anger even if your anger at him tell him.
• pray like your having a coffee chat with God (thanking him, praising him, praying for your friends, if your lonely Jesus is that friend ) , or if you need a father daughter talk(any unanswered questions, sin, anger, fears, comfort, peace) anything a father would do to his daughter. Whatever you need at that time he is there so go to him however you need him.
• write down a prayer in a journal if that helps if your a writer, draw in your journal, write a poem, write music (here’s the thing God can even be in those things, God should be involved in them.
•write down in your notes, journal all the prayer request. And then during your prayer time pray over them. Don’t tell people you will pray for them and then not do it. Or pray for them right at that moment even if it’s short and then you can go back when you do your prayer time and pray over them more in depth.
•just be you, Gods not looking for us to be all together he’s looking for your heart, your real self he did create you so don’t be fake with him, you can’t be he created you.
• pray all throughout the day even if it’s just a thank you for helping me get through this test, or I need your help on this god, quiet my mind it’s starting to run in circles, pray throughout the day so you can stay connected.
Bible reading :
• it does not have to be always one to two chapters a day, if it’s just one to three verses you need to focus on that day, maybe that’s all you need is that encouragement, or that truth, or wherever that verse is saying to you. Don’t compare to what you read and definitely don’t make it a competition it’s not it’s your relationship. As I said it’s not about the person next to you.
• ask your self how does this story, verse relate to you in the season of life your in right now, or is this what your heart check needs even if it stings a bit that’s god talking to you like hey let’s fix this so you can get back in alignment with me
• as I said with prayer I’ll say here find your spot to meet with God, no notification and no distractions it will feel odd at first but it’s ok
• journal key verses, jot notes down, underline in your bible, draw little doodles that relate, or make a song out of it or whatever gets your creativity rolling
• don’t think of bible reading as a have to but a want to, there’s tons of stories in the Bible like a book but that really happened, and think that your next to someone in the story and how does it make you feel, what’s the smell, what’s the touch, taste of the food use your senses in the story. And image what the characters look like, how do they talks? Act? How does this character relate to you, or how does it relate to your season of life?
Devotions:
• pick ones that you need in your life, in the season your in
• don’t do too many just pick two or three, so you don’t get to confused and it stays in you heart and mind throughout your day
• do it with friends to keep you accountable(there’s tons on the Bible app and you can invite them and talk about it at the end of each devotional in the comment section)
• do it throughout your day not just in the morning ( I love to do one in the morning, then at afternoon, maybe one in the evening, it gives me a connection all throughout my day not just in the morning)
Switch it up:
• switch up your routine it gets boring if it stays the same
• use your talents whether that’s serving in a church, drawing, singing in worship, making, cooking for people in need, blogging, whatever it is find your gifts and try out new things you’ll be surprised. Get out of that comfort zone that’s where God works best( I would’ve never thought I would be blogging but God used a friend to push me into it and I can’t thank God enough)
• take a prayer walk in between the day and listen to worship music and get connected in between your day
• have a date with Jesus at a coffee shop or a beach, park, forest preserve, extra and connect there it can be even in your back yard , he can’t wait to meet you and see you. Whether it’s prayer, reading your bible, planning for a project, writing, drawing or even just reading a book.
Study groups:
• now study groups or life groups are a key thing to getting connected to people who are going through what you are or who went through what you are going through,and making new friends.
• now the thing is about this, if a group is just talking about the world and not what they really are dealing with or even getting deeper in the discussion then it’s not for you or even gossiping about others then run
• find one that goes deep in the study, that connects to where there at in the season, keeps you accountable for sins, goals, what gods telling them, whatever it is. Find a group that has god in the center, and welcomes you for who you are, not no cling group where you have to be someone your not or thinks there all that and a bag of chips (can you tell how strong I feel about this? If so then I’m glad ), a group that even if you do wrong there going to come along side you and help you, pray for you, a group that when your walking through the storm they will walk with you in the fire
• I know that’s hard but ask god to lead you in a group that’s godly
• so get out of your comfort zone and try one, if the first or the second isn't right then keep going to different ones that fits best for you even if it’s not at your home church no shame in that. You never know you could find a better church that fits you and where you can grow in where God wants you to be
Fasting:
Fasting is where you abstract from food for spiritual purposes. You see fasting everywhere in the Bible with David in psalms 35, 2 Samuel 12,17, 23, you see Esther fast in Esther 4, Jesus even fasted in Luke 4.
Basically you get rid of one food that you normally eat all the time and stop it for 30 days, some do a few weeks, that’s one type of fasting which is partial in Daniel 10:3 it talked about getting rid of meat and wine only. Moses and Elijah did this in Deuteronomy 9:9 and 1 kings 19:8.
Another one is super natural fasting which is no food (liquid or solid) and no water Paul did this for three days in Acts 9:9 . Esther did this for This in Esther 4 for three days. This fasting should be with caution only three days or less no more. It can be dangerous to go without.
Lastly complete fasting which is water and juice fasting for an extended period. Juice fast will provide more energy than water. Still lead you to a humbling journey
Now the right motives to fasting is:
1. Repentance of any sin
2. Spiritual strength when the enemy is coming hard
3. To wake up the spiritual hunger for god instead of all the other desires that keep holding you
4. To test and see what desires controls us
5. To express an ache of his return
“But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for.”
John 4:23 NIRV
6. To demonstrate our love and desire above all things
7. To forfeit good things for the better or best
Reference :
Onishi Sheri.”How to Do a Biblical Fast”. Cru.org.
You have to go back there:
• you have to go back in what’s been hurting you, angering you, depressing you, worrying, anxiety just go to him and just be in his presence and ask him to come in and fill your heart for what it needs
• your going to have to go there with god, your past, your sin, you anger. Here’s the thing time don’t heal that’s the world preference but we’re still hurting no Jesus heals. It literally says
“But the servant was pierced because we had sinned. He was crushed because we had done what was evil. He was punished to make us whole again. His wounds have healed us.”
Isaiah 53:5 NIRV
“Jesus heard that. So he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a doctor. Sick people do. I have not come to get those who think they are right with God to follow me. I have come to get sinners to follow me.”
Mark 2:17 NIRV
He has come to be a doctor for the sick, a doctor for the hurting no need to go to drugs or alcohol or that friends with benefits anymore, Jesus has come.
“Jesus turned and saw her. “Dear woman, don’t give up hope,” he said. “Your faith has healed you.” The woman was healed at that moment.”
Matthew 9:22 NIRV
You need faith in Jesus to heal you, without faith there’s nothing but with faith there’s everything even if it’s so small. Have faith that Jesus will walk in there with you and heal you even if it hurts.
“He heals those who have broken hearts. He takes care of their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3 NIRV
Your going to have to pray on it, your going to even have to read on it even if it’s hard but the good thing is, is in every book, in every story they have a restoration, a healing, a victory in the storm, your going to have to go there. But when you go there God is already there on it, he will guide, lead and walk with you in to to heal and take you to the high places. Talk about it with others a mentor, parent, pastor, friend and have them listen and be there and walk in it with you.
Go to him. I will also tell you a great book recommendation for this it’s called Hinds Feet on High Places by Darien B. Cooper and Hannah Hurnard.
I pray you can take these to heart and I pray you can try these and you can get back in alignment with God remember it’s not God who’s left but you, and it’s ok we all do it, we all stray away at times.
Just go to him he’s waiting.
And also just be yourself, God knows when your being fake he knows you better than you know yourself. So be your truest, most vulnerable, real self he did create you so he knows you well.
I had so much fun writing to you guys and I can’t wait to write again. I pray this was encouraging, and just know friend I’m routing for you.