Why We Can’t Afford a Shallow Faith
Series: Why Dig Deeper? — Recovering the Depth of Christian Discipleship
Introduction: Why So Many Feel Spiritually Unsatisfied
We live in a world overflowing with spiritual content. Podcasts, sermons, devotionals, inspirational quotes. All these are instantly available to many of us. And yet, many people quietly admit something they are almost embarrassed to say, that they feel spiritually empty.
Some grew up in church but never felt connected to God. Some left church because it felt shallow or confusing. Some are curious about faith but unsure where to begin. Some believe in God but feel stuck, stagnant, or spiritually numb.
Even committed Christians confess that there’s more to God than what they experience in our personal relationship with Him.
This longing, this ache for something deeper is not a flaw. It is a sign of life. It is evidence that you were made for more than spiritual survival. It is a direct invitation from God.
The Problem Beneath the Surface
While spiritual emptiness can mean many things, for some it reveals a deeper reality: they do not yet have a relationship with Christ. Scripture teaches a thought that was best summarized by an Early Church Father, Augustine, that apart from Him, our souls remain restless and unfulfilled — “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Without Christ, our physical bodies are alive but spiritually dead, disconnected at the deepest level of our being. Away from God and that will make a person feel spiritually empty.
For others, who have already accepted Christ, spiritual emptiness feels like a personal failure. They assume their spiritual emptiness means that they are not trying hard enough. Others assume that it is because they are not religious enough. Or even worse, that they are not good enough.
But the real issue is simple. We were made for depth, but we have settled for surface, thin versions of faith and discipleship.
This is not because we are bad people, or we do not care.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”
John 10:10
Without that depth and without Christ at the center, we lose something vital. We lose clarity about who we are. We lose clarity about what we are called to do. We lose the sense of purpose we were created for.
A shallow spiritual life leads to a shallow sense of purpose.
But a life rooted in Christ leads to identity, direction, and meaning.
As Jesus Himself said:
“Abide in Me… for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4–5
Depth begins with Christ. Life flows from Christ. Purpose is discovered in Christ.
And He invites every one of us, whether we are curious, skeptical, returning, or committed to come closer.
A Universal Human Question: Is There More?
Whether you are a lifelong Christian, a skeptic, or someone somewhere in between, the question is the same:
“Is there more to life with God than this?”
Scripture answers with a resounding yes.
Jesus said:
John 10:10
Apostle Peter wrote:
2 Peter 3:18
Growth is the expectation. Depth is the invitation. Intimacy with God is the point.
And from that intimacy flows something many people long for but rarely find, a sense of calling, and a life that matters.
A Story You May Not Know: The Torn Curtain
In ancient Israel, the temple was designed with three distinct spaces that symbolized different levels of closeness to God:
1. The Outer Court
Where anyone could enter.
2. The Inner Court (The Holy Place)
Where only priests could minister.
3. The Holy of Holies
The innermost room — the place of God’s manifest presence.
God’s presence was symbolized by a sacred space in the temple called the Holy of Holies. Only one person, the high priest could enter it, and only once a year (Leviticus 16:2, 34).
It was a powerful symbol that demonstrated that God is real, but access to Him is limited because of our sins.
But when Jesus died, something dramatic happened:
Matthew 27:51
The sin barrier was removed and gone. The distance was taken away because God drew near. The message was unmistakable, God is no longer far away.
You are invited in.
The New Testament reinforces this:
“We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.”
Hebrews 10:19
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
James 4:8
This is not an echo chamber. This is not insider theology. It is not reserved for the deserving, the knowing, the religious, the spiritual, the perfect, or interested, it is the heart of the true authentic Christianity, God wants a relationship with you.
This is not a ritual. It definitely is not a routine or religious performance. But a relationship. And relationships grow through depth.
Why Depth Matters for Your Life and Calling
Here is the truth many people sense but can’t articulate:
You cannot discover your purpose while keeping God at arm’s length.
Purpose — calling — identity — meaning — are not human inventions. These are not things we invent.
They are things we receive.
And they are revealed in the same place relationships grow:
in closeness, not distance.
Think about it:
- Moses discovered his calling in God’s presence (Exodus 3:1–12).
- Isaiah discovered his calling in God’s presence (Isaiah 6:1–8).
- Paul discovered his calling in God’s presence (Acts 9:1–19).
The pattern is consistent:
Depth with God leads to clarity about your life.
If you feel lost, stuck, or
unsure of your direction — you’re not broken.
You’re being invited deeper.
The Cost of Staying Shallow
Let us be honest. Depth has a cost. It requires something from us, but it is not what most people think it would require. It does not require perfection. Neither does it require performance. It requires intention. Desire. A disposition that responds to God’s call and invitation. A real genuine and sincere longing for guidance into the truth.
Intentionality requires attention. Jesus once said:
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21
In other words:
Your life follows your attention.
If your attention is scattered, your spiritual life will be too. If your attention is shallow, your sense of purpose will be shallow. If your attention is divided, your calling will feel unclear.
Depth requires:
- Time — even if it is a few quiet focused minutes
- Honesty — with God, with yourself, and your circumstances
- Curiosity — asking real questions
- Openness — letting God speak
- Courage — to follow where He leads
You cannot drift into depth.
You choose it.
The Invitation: A Door That’s Already Open
Here’s the good news:
God has already done everything necessary to bring you close.
The door is open. The invitation is extended. The relationship is available.
The calling is waiting.
Whether you are a lifelong Christian, someone returning after years away, someone who is deconstructing, someone who is curious but unsure, or someone who wants more than a shallow faith,
…you are invited to go deeper.
This is not an invitation deeper into religion, not into pressure, and neither into performance. It is an invitation into a relationship. Into clarity. Into purpose. Into life with God.
At Dig Deeper Ministries, that’s why we want to help you know Christ deeply and live the life you were created for.
