✨ Sneak Peek:

Is your heart feeling disconnected from God? Are anxiety, overthinking, or spiritual dryness creeping in? In this episode, I guide you through a powerful exercise I use with Christian clients, church members, and friends to help restore intimacy with the Lord. Rooted in biblical truth and influenced by Freedom Prayer, Immanuel Approach, and other inner healing models, this simple practice can help you hear His voice, sense His nearness, and identify what’s standing in the way of deeper connection.

Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, spiritual numbness, or just want to feel closer to Jesus—you’re invited to pause and meet Him right here.

🕰️ Timestamps:

1:29 – Intro: Why this exercise matters in your walk with God

2:22– The link between spiritual distance and emotional symptoms (anxiety, overthinking, etc.)

3:11 – What Scripture says about God's presence: joy, rest, boldness, freedom

3:34 – Guided exercise: meeting with Jesus

5:29 – What if you don’t feel or see anything? Why that’s okay (and what to ask instead)

5:57 – Roadblocks to intimacy: unforgiveness, lies, sin—and biblical ways to remove them

8:15 – Discerning the real Jesus vs. “fake Jesus” shaped by wounds or false beliefs

9:19 – Using this tool as a foundation for deeper work

9:55 – Final encouragement: Jesus is ready to meet you. Are you ready to come close?

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• Spiritual distance from God often leads to mental and emotional symptoms—but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
• God’s presence brings joy, rest, freedom, and strength. You were made to dwell in it.
• This simple Jesus-encounter exercise can help you discern His nearness, hear His voice, and notice what may be standing in the way.
• Unforgiveness, ungodly beliefs, and unconfessed sin are common barriers—but the Bible offers clear pathways to healing.
• If your image of Jesus doesn’t align with Matthew 11:28–30, it might be a false view shaped by past wounds—not the real Jesus. Scripture helps re-align your perspective.
• Asking “What” questions instead of “Why” often opens the door for God to reveal truth, healing, and breakthrough.

DISCLAIMER

I am a licensed professional counselor, however this podcast (and the info shared on my blogs and social media) is not therapy. It is for informational purposes only; this is not a professional therapy relationship; and it is not personal advice to your specific situation. If you wonder whether professional counseling may be helpful for you in this season of life, check out this article that outlines when you might need to seek the help of a professional counselor and how to find a good one: https://shelleyspence.com/how-to-find-a-christian-counselor

LINKS

Keys to Freedom by Mercy Multiplied

Freedom Tools by Andy Reece

How to Find a Christian Counselor:

shelleyspence.com/how-to-find-a-christian-counselor

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I’m cheering you on as you break free from what’s holding you back and keeping you stuck.