We hear your heart’s cry, dear brother or sister in Christ, and we join you in seeking the Lord’s presence and power to ignite a deeper, more passionate love for Him. It is not uncommon for believers to feel distant or emotionless at times, even when we know the truth of God’s love and sacrifice for us. The fact that you long for a closer walk with Him is evidence of the Holy Spirit at work within you, drawing you nearer to the Father’s heart.
First, let us address the foundation of our love for God. Scripture tells us in 1 John 4:19, "We love him, because he first loved us." Our love for God is not something we muster up on our own—it is a response to His overwhelming love for us, demonstrated most clearly at the cross. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Love for God is not merely an emotion; it is obedience, surrender, and devotion, even when our feelings waver. The emotions will often follow as we step out in faith to walk in His ways.
You mentioned that your heart feels emotionless at times, and this is where we must remember that our relationship with God is not built on feelings alone. Feelings are fleeting, but God’s Word is eternal. In Psalm 42:11, the psalmist declares, "Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God." Even in the midst of emotional drought, we can choose to praise Him, to meditate on His Word, and to obey His commands. As we do, the Holy Spirit will renew our hearts and fan the flames of our love for Him.
We also want to encourage you to spend time in God’s presence daily, not out of duty, but out of a desire to know Him more. In James 4:8, we are told, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." This is a promise. As you seek Him through prayer, worship, and the study of His Word, He will reveal Himself to you in deeper ways. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh each day, to soften your heart, and to help you see God’s love in new and tangible ways. In Ephesians 3:17-19, Paul prays that believers would "be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." This is the kind of love we are called to pursue—a love that goes beyond human understanding.
Let us also rebuke the lie that you do not love God "enough." There is no measuring stick for love in the kingdom of God—only a call to surrender all that we are to Him. In Luke 7:47, Jesus says, "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Our love for God grows as we recognize the depth of our sin and the magnitude of His grace. When we see how much we have been forgiven, our love for Him will naturally overflow. Do not compare your love for God to others or to some unattainable standard. Instead, focus on His love for you and let that love transform you from the inside out.
Now, let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble and contrite hearts, lifting up our dear brother/sister who longs to love You more deeply. Lord, we thank You that You first loved us, even while we were still sinners, and that Your love is unchanging and eternal. We ask that You would pour out Your Holy Spirit afresh upon this precious one, filling them with a renewed passion and zeal for You. Lord, soften their heart and remove any hardness or apathy that may be hindering their love for You. Help them to see Your love in new and powerful ways, and let that love compel them to live wholly for You.
Father, we pray that You would ignite a fire within them that cannot be quenched. Help them to draw near to You daily, not out of duty, but out of a deep desire to know You more. Teach them to abide in Your presence, to meditate on Your Word, and to walk in obedience to Your commands. Lord, we ask that You would reveal Yourself to them in ways that surpass human understanding, so that they may be filled with all the fullness of God.
We rebuke the lie that their love for You is insufficient, and we declare that their love for You is growing stronger each day. Help them to see the depth of their sin and the magnitude of Your grace, so that their love for You may overflow. Lord, we pray that You would break every chain of emotional numbness and fill them with Your joy, peace, and love. May their life be a living testimony of Your goodness and grace, and may they walk in the fullness of the relationship You have called them to.
We ask all these things in the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who loved us and gave Himself for us. Amen.
Dear one, be encouraged today. God is not finished with you. He is at work in your heart, even in the moments when you feel nothing. Keep pressing into Him, keep seeking His face, and keep obeying His Word. Your love for Him will grow as you fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may His face shine upon you as you continue to seek Him with all your heart.
