What things can help if I don't feel love for God?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

As believers we know that nothing can impede God’s love for us (Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 8:38-39), even if our love for Him is not always constant. When we face times in which we are struggling to feel love for God, we can know that if we express this to God He hears us (Psalm 18:6). In fact, if we draw near to God, He will do the same for us (Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-23). Although loving God is ultimately a choice rather than a feeling, certain practices can remind us of God’s goodness or love and inspire us to feel love for him. Some of these include fellowshipping with believers (Hebrews 10:24-25), taking communion to remember what Jesus has done for us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), or thinking about God’s good attributes and actions (Philippians 4:8). Thankfully, we serve an extremely loving God who chose to love us first even in our sinfulness (1 John 4:10). His love is permanent (Romans 8:38-39), regardless of how we personally feel. Because God has extended such incredible grace and love to us, we have the ability as His children to extend that love back to Him and to the world around us (1 John 4:19).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• When we don't feel love for God, we can pray about that and rest assured that He hears our prayers. David wrote, "In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears" (Psalm 18:6).
• Reminding ourselves of God’s love for us can help us feel love for Him: Psalm 136:1 reminds us to “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” The Hebrew word ḥesed, often translated as “steadfast love” or “lovingkindness,” points to God’s love in light of His eternal, covenantal commitment. This is not a love that shifts with emotions or circumstances; it is rooted in God's own faithful nature.
• God’s love is also deeply compassionate and merciful. Psalm 103:8 says, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Even when His people rebel or fail, God does not cast them off in wrath. Instead, His love holds firm, offering grace and patience that reflect His tender heart.
• One of the most intimate depictions of God's love comes in Hosea 11:3-4, where He describes Himself as a parent gently teaching a child to walk. “I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love,” He says. God’s love is not only powerful but also nurturing and tender, even when His people are wayward.
• God’s love is consistently tied to His covenant promises. Deuteronomy 7:9 affirms this by saying, “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love…” His love is not random or conditional. It flows from His faithfulness to what He has pledged.
• God's love is always inviting us to return, whether we have sinned or we feel far away. Joel 2:13 says, “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” Even when we stray far, His love calls us back with grace.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• While our love for God is not always constant, we can know for certain that once we are God’s child, nothing can pry us away from His love (Romans 8:38-39).
• Taking communion is an important way of remembering Jesus’ goodness to us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). This physical act may help renew our feelings of love for God.
• No one feels love for God until he or she is born again. We are spiritually dead until we receive salvation in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10).
• We can think about the good things God has done (Philippians 4:8) as a way to renew our love for Him.
• A community of believers is meant for mutual encouragement and building up (Hebrews 10:24-25). Being with people who are seeking to live for God can help encourage love for Him.
• Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 10:19-23 tell us we can draw near to God in full faith because Jesus has opened a way for us. Instead of feeling distant from God during times in which we are struggling to love Him, we can draw ever closer to Him knowing He will draw near to us.
• God is pursuing us with as much passion and love as He did when we first became His child. First John 4:10 says, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

We may not always "feel" love for God. Emotions ebb and flow over time, including our feelings toward God. Sometimes it is because of sin in our lives. In this case, we are called to repent and return to Him. Sometimes we don’t feel love for God because we have filled our lives with the cares of this world. In this case, we should ask God to help us reprioritize our lives. Sometimes we don’t feel love for God because of our sorrow, sadness, or loneliness.

Thankfully, our relationship with Him is not based on our feelings and circumstances, but His nature and promises to us. God is all forgiving and compassionate toward us (2 Corinthians 1:3), and He never changes (Hebrews 13:8). In response to this, we should seek to be consistent in our reaction to His love. We can keep praying, telling God our troubles, and giving Him praise for the truths we read about in His Word. A Christian mentor or counselor might also help, as someone who is mature in the faith may encourage us during times we are struggling to feel love for God.

UNDERSTAND

• When you don’t feel love for God, Scripture, prayer, and fellowship can remind you of His unchanging love for you.
• Loving God is a choice based on His eternal love for you, not your feelings.
• Remembering God’s love for us is important when we don’t feel love for God.

REFLECT

• When you struggle to feel love for God, how do you respond? Do you turn to Scripture, prayer, or community for encouragement?
• How do you remind yourself of God’s steadfast love when your emotions don’t reflect love for Him?
• What practical habits help you stay connected to God’s love during spiritual dry seasons?

ENGAGE

• What role do feelings play in our relationship with God, and what limitations do they have?
• How can we encourage one another to choose love for God as a commitment rather than relying on feelings?
• How does understanding God’s unchanging love influence how we support fellow believers who struggle with their love for God?