Struggling to feel close to God? Keep reading to discover grace-filled encouragement for connecting with God as a Christian writer in even dry or difficult seasons.
If you’ve ever said this as a Christian writer:
- “I want to spend time with God every day, but I just can’t seem to stick with it.”
- “I tried journaling… silence… Bible plans… but none of it is working right now.”
- “I feel guilty that I’m not doing enough spiritually, and it’s affecting my writing.”
Friend, you’re not alone. And you are not behind.
As a writing coach and spiritual director, I’ve sat with Christian writers who quietly confess the same thing: I don’t feel close to God right now, and I don’t know how to fix it.
Here’s the truth I want you to carry into your day: God is with you, even when you don’t feel it.
1. God’s Presence Doesn’t Depend on Your Performance As a Christian Writer
You are not more loved when you journal every day or less loved when your Bible collects dust.
God’s presence is steady, even when our rhythms aren’t. It’s easy to turn our time with God into a checklist:
☑ Bible reading
☑ Prayer
☑ Journal
☑ Worship song
When that happens, guilt often replaces grace. But time with God isn’t a chore to be checked off your list. It’s an invitation. And your desire to connect with God matters.
2. Embrace the Seasons of Your Spiritual Life as a Christian Writer
Your spiritual and writing life has seasons.
When my son was a baby, I was so sleep-deprived and overwhelmed that my “quiet time” was a one-minute devotional with a single verse and a quick prayer. That was all I had in me, and it was enough.
These days, I often meet with God during car rides with worship music blasting, listening to the Bible App while I walk, or at Starbucks early in the morning as I write and listen with a steaming cup of coffee. Sometimes it’s rich, and sometimes it’s just showing up and waiting. And that’s the beauty of it.
Sometimes a minute of intentional breathing and whispering “God, I’m here” is the holiest thing you can do.
3. Find Your Sacred Pathways as a Christian Writer
Christian writers all connect with God differently. In Sacred Pathways, author Gary Thomas outlines nine unique ways people draw near to God. Here are a few:
- Nature lovers: You often feel closest to God on a trail, near the ocean, or under the stars.
- Intellectuals: You thrive through study, theology, or deep conversations.
- Worshipers: Music unlocks your soul and stirs your spirit.
- Servant Hearts: Supporting others makes you feel connected and alive.
- Contemplatives: Silence and solitude refresh your spirit.
Your spiritual life doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It’s not one-size-fits-all. God designed you uniquely, and your connection with Him will be unique too.
What’s your sacred rhythm?
What’s working for you right now?
4. Make It Ligher and Smaller as a Christian Writer
In Matthew 11:28 (NIV), Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Instead of aiming for 30–60 minutes of “perfect” quiet time, what if you started with:
- 1 verse a day
- 2 minutes of silence
- 1 word from scripture carried through your day
- Listening to an audio devotional while you drive
5. Grace Upon Grace
Give yourself grace. You’re not failing spiritually because your time with God doesn’t look like it used to or how you may think it “should.” Sometimes the most powerful connection with God comes through our longing and the honest prayers we whisper in private.
My Current Practice (if you’re looking for ideas)
These days, my spiritual rhythm includes:
- Three mornings a week at Starbucks to journal, sip coffee, and listen.
- Worship while driving. My son and I love blasting Forrest Frank.
- Sometimes silence, breathing and prayer in the sauna.
- Listening to Scripture on the Bible App
- Using A Simple Pause app for short spiritual practices like lectio divina, visio divina, and imaginative prayer.
Some days feel rich and intimate while other feel like I’m going through the motions. God is with me through it all: welcoming me in every season and state.
Try This When You’re Feeling Disconnected from God
- Invite God into your longing. Say, “Lord, I want to connect with You—but I’m struggling to make it consistent.”
- Then, experiment. Try one or two new ways of being with God this week. Let it be light, honest, and personal.
- And finally, give yourself grace. It’s okay if it feels harder right now.
God is still with you.
Wondering what counts as “real”time with God?
This moment counts.
The desire in your heart counts.
You’re not behind.
You’re not too inconsistent.
You’re not doing it wrong.
Whether you’re in a season of overflow or a season of spiritual drought, I want you to know: God is with you.