How to Hold Onto Faith in a Higher Power After Leaving Christianity

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When people choose to walk away from Christianity, it may be because they went through something that led them to feel betrayed or deeply disappointed by the very faith they may have clung to for strength and comfort. They may have even experienced religious trauma in a Christian setting, a concept I learned about from the book When Religion Hurts You by Laura E. Anderson, PhD.

This feeling can lead them to believe they also need to walk away from God or their Higher Power because believing in a Higher Power is central to the Christian faith. And they may even come to blame that Power for what happened to make them feel compelled to leave.

But even if you’re no longer Christian or religious, you can still hold onto faith in something greater than you. I think it can be both helpful and comforting to be aware of this amazing Force you have with you as you go through the ups and downs of life. But after leaving religion, you might find it hard to believe in God or any Higher Power when you recall what you went through and remember that whatever was done, was done in the name of that Power or as a way of honoring that Power.

If you would like to continue believing in a Higher Power even after leaving Christianity, there are two key things you can do: separate religion from your Higher Power and learn how you actually experience that Power.

Separating Religion from Your Higher Power

To hold onto faith in something greater than you after walking away from religion, it’s essential for you to separate religion from your Higher Power. Religion is a belief system created by people based on their experiences of their Higher Power. And while their experiences are valid, they don’t reflect everyone’s experiences of something greater.

But that Force is greater than any religion. That Force is greater than life. That Force is greater than everything.

So, if you did go through something that made you feel betrayed or deeply disappointed by religion, remember that it was religion that disappointed you. It was religion that let you down. Or it was your understanding of religious teachings invented by people. Or it was people’s understanding of those teachings. But it wasn’t your Higher Power that let you down.

Understanding this can help you find the strength and courage to hold onto faith in something greater than you even when Christianity or organized religion has disappointed you.

Learning How You Experience Your Higher Power

One thing I find unsettling about religion is how, at least in my experience, it doesn’t really encourage people to learn how they actually experience the Divine. Instead, people are encouraged to believe things and perform rituals established by other people and based on those people’s experiences of their Higher Power.

But I believe we all have experiences of something greater than us. We just may not know how to recognize those experiences because we weren’t taught to look for them outside of religion. When you leave religion, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to truly understand how you connect to God or your Higher Power.

For example, if you ever do something that puts you into a state where you forget that time is passing because you’re so wonderfully lost in what you’re doing (sometimes referred to as the flow state), I believe that’s a way of connecting to that Force.

I don’t believe you have to go far out of your way to connect to this Power or perform any particular rituals unless they feel good and authentic to you. But you do need to pay attention to when you feel connected to something greater. Or when you feel moved deeply by something. Or when you experience wonderful emotions like joy and happiness that feel too otherworldly to describe. I see all of these as connections to the Divine.

If you find that you thrive in nature, you might feel that connection to something greater when surrounded by nature. If you’re an athlete, you might feel that connection when performing your sport. And if you’re an artist, you might feel that connection when creating art.

I believe there are an infinite number of ways to feel a connection to something greater. And I believe that each of those ways is a way of experiencing your Higher Power. When you become more aware of these experiences, you can start to understand that you don’t need religion to have them. All you have to do is incorporate more of those kinds of activities into your daily life. To me, that’s what authentic spirituality is all about.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve left Christianity but still want to hold onto faith in a Higher Power, I hope this post helps you understand how you can do that. It’s just a matter of separating religion from that Power and coming to understand how you actually experience it.

But if would like to practice a form of spirituality that feels more authentic to you, I know how challenging it can be to go from Christianity to spirituality. That’s why I offer spiritual coaching services to help with this transition. If you’re interested, simply click here to learn more.

~ Ashley C.