I was recently asked to put my thoughts down concerning when I feel most connected with God and disconnected from God. I only listed my top two insights in both categories, but I thought I would share them with you:

I feel God closest in either one of two ways. First, when I am in a different culture than my own – especially on a mission trip of some sort. I have been blessed to be able to travel around the world quite a bit, and many times I see God most clearly when I am staring into the face and the life of someone who is doesn’t look, act, or talk like me. Second, when I am on my last leg. This may the result of busyness sometimes, but when I need to get something done, but have no idea how to do it. . . .and no time to figure it out. . . God comes through in the clutch for me, when I am most vulnerable – I love that about Him!

There are also 2 main ways that I feel disconnected from God. First, a little background . . . see, many people are told the lie that “they’re not good enough” for much of their life – maybe from Mom and Dad, or a teacher, coach, or peer – and that can bury people, but that was not the case for me. See, most of my life I have been told, by many well-meaning people, a different lie that is just as dangerous – “I AM good enough.” At times, I can believe that I have all that it takes to succeed on my own – the talent, experience, athletic ability, looks, intellect, marriage, family, etc…. when I do, God usually feels distant b/c I have usually left Him in the dust. Second, I have often times in my life had an idol of “happiness” – and I pursue it fervently – moreso than God. Now, this is not neccesarily pursuing shallow things or buying “toys”, in fact, I am often times worshiping happiness with just establishing the simple expectation every day that a successful, God-honoring day must entail me being happy by the end of it. This is what I now know to be true – true happiness/joy cannot be pursued directly, but it is a perspective that is gained ONLY as a result of pursuing and trusting in God’s plans/purposes/work for me each and every day. Some days are difficult others. . . not so much – over time God’s spirit inside of me is teaching me the perspective of true joy, but when I ignore this guidance, and worship happiness – I distance myself from God.