Feeling Disconnected?

For those who don't know me, I'm the secretary of my church. Basically, about 400 people rely on me to receive important information regarding our church community. Twenty plus individuals and staff members rely on me to communicate their information and coordinate events with others. So when the internet was down one morning, I was disconnected from those who needed me.

It's a strange feeling to be cut off from people, especially when you know they are counting on you. There's a sense of uselessness. Of confusion. You don't know what to do next. Nearly everyone had a taste of this during the lockdowns of 2020. Oh, sure, there were cell phones and texting. But when even one method of communication is blocked, it tends to leave you feeling like you're wandering through life and making it up as you go.

As I sat at my desk waiting for the internet to re-engage, it was like God nudged me to equate this disconnectedness to my relationship with Him. It was almost as if He said, "You understand how this applies to your own life, don't you?" Indeed, my prayer life and time spent in God's word had been sporadic at best. The two biggest excuses went like this:

"I'm too busy; I'll fit it in tomorrow."

"I'm tired; I'll have a long talk with God later on."

And if we're honest, I think some of us can relate. If life is going pretty well, if no one in our circle of family or friends is going through a crisis, then we can live our days without meeting God in prayer or His word, and things might be just fine. But who are we kidding?

I was fooling myself, to be sure. Yes, I went to work, met family obligations, and finished the list of household tasks. But I knew, deep down, that I was disconnected. Even though I made it through my days with little trouble, I felt like things were not quite what they should be, and a sense of wandering permeated my life. Fortunately, I can recognize this for what it is--spiritual distance from the Lord.

After September 11, 2001, people flocked to their churches like they hadn't in years. Our own church doubled in attendance those first few weeks after the tragedy. This is what we tend to do, and it's totally understandable. When our lives fall apart, we call on God and search for answers. But why do we only seek Him when life crashes around us?

People seem to be falling away from our churches these days. I wonder sometimes if folks think they only need God when something horrible happens. As long as their lives are proceeding without a hitch, they feel as if they can handle everything themselves.

Trouble is, there's always a hitch.

We've seen the news on TV or our smart devices. It doesn't take a doctorate to know the world is beginning to crumble around us. Will we wait until the worst happens before we decide to call on God? Yes, He's always there, always waiting to hear from us. But wouldn't it be better if we were already connected to Him when a crisis comes? Because, like it or not, it IS coming.

Take some time today to reach out to God. Go ahead; you can talk to Him as if He were sitting across the table from you. He is your Lord, your friend. And He can be trusted as no one on earth can.

Until next time,

Toni