Let me tell you what happened at my last doctor’s appointment.
I went in for a routine checkup, nothing unusual, just doing what responsible grown women do. Everything came back looking good… until we got to my vitamin D level.
Now, the acceptable range for vitamin D is between 30 and 60.
Mine?
Nine.
Nine.
Not “a little low.” Not “let’s keep an eye on it.” No, ma’am. This was a full-blown deficiency. The kind where your doctor pauses, looks at you, and you can tell they’re trying not to say, “What have you been doing?”
So naturally, we talked about how to fix it.
The best way? Safe exposure to sunlight a couple of times a week.
The alternative? A vitamin D supplement.
And let me just go ahead and tell you, I chose the supplement.
Why?
Because I do not like being outside.
I live in the South, where sunshine doesn’t just mean light, it means heat. And heat means sweating. And sweating? That is not my ministry.
So yes, I chose the supplement.
But as I left that appointment, something settled in my spirit.
Because what hit me wasn’t just about vitamin D.
It was about how easy it is to be deficient in what we actually need, even when everything else looks fine.
You Can Look Fine, and Still Be Depleted
From the outside, everything about my health looked good. But internally? I was lacking something essential.
And isn’t that how life can be sometimes?
You’re showing up. You’re handling your responsibilities. You’re doing what needs to be done.
To everyone else, you look fine.
But inside?
You’re tired. You’re stretched. You’re running low on peace, joy, clarity – even faith.
And the truth is, just like vitamin D, there are some things your soul cannot function properly without.
Stay Connected to the Source
Here’s the spiritual parallel that the Lord gently placed on my heart: Just like your body needs sunlight, your spirit needs constant connection to God.
Jesus said it this way in John 15:4-5: “Abide in Me, and I in you… apart from Me you can do nothing.”
That word abide means to remain, to stay connected, to live in. In other words, Jesus wasn’t talking about occasional check-ins. He was talking about ongoing connection.
Because when you disconnect from the source, deficiency is inevitable.
Not immediate, always, but eventually.
Deficiency Doesn’t Happen Overnight
Here’s the thing about my vitamin D level. I didn’t wake up one morning and go from 60 to 9. That deficiency happened over time.
Little by little. Day by day. Choice by choice.
And spiritually, it works the same way.
We don’t usually wake up one morning completely drained in our faith.
It’s gradual.
We skip time with God here. We rush through prayer there. We replace stillness with busyness.
We pour out, but don’t pour back in.
And before we know it, we’re functioning, but not flourishing.
Sometimes, We Avoid What We Actually Need
Now let’s talk about the part I don’t want you to miss.
I knew the best way to increase my vitamin D was sunlight. But I don’t like being outside. So instead of going straight to the source, I chose the supplement.
And listen, there’s nothing wrong with supplements. But they are not the primary source. And if we’re honest, we do this spiritually too.
Instead of going directly to God, we reach for:
- Podcasts
- Sermons
- Books
- Social media encouragement
Again, none of those things are bad.
But they are supplements.
They are not substitutes for time with God.
Psalm 84:11 says, “The Lord God is a sun and shield.”
Did you catch that? God is described as the sun.
The very thing I was trying to avoid naturally is exactly how God describes Himself spiritually.
You Can’t Live Off Secondhand Light
Let me say this like I would if we were sitting across from each other with coffee: You cannot build a strong, sustained spiritual life off of secondhand light.
You can’t rely on what someone else heard from God. You can’t depend on what someone else studied. You can’t grow on what someone else experienced.
At some point, you have to step into the light for yourself. Because your soul recognizes the difference.
Your spirit knows when it’s being nourished, and when it’s just getting by.
What Spiritual “Sunlight” Looks Like
Now, before you think this means you need to sit outside in 90-degree heat with your Bible (because absolutely not – unless you want to), let’s make this practical.
Spiritual sunlight looks like:
1. Intentional Time with God
Not rushed. Not squeezed in. But intentional.
Even if it’s 10–15 minutes to start.
2. Being Still Long Enough to Hear Him
Not just talking to God, but listening for God.
Psalm 46:10 reminds us, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
3. Engaging Scripture Personally
Not just reading it, but asking: “Lord, what are You showing me here?”
4. Consistency Over Perfection
You don’t need to do it perfectly. You just need to do it consistently.
Check Your Levels
If I hadn’t gone to the doctor, I wouldn’t have known how low my vitamin D was.
And sometimes, we don’t realize how depleted we are spiritually until something forces us to pay attention.
So let me ask you, friend:
- Are you constantly tired, even when you’ve rested?
- Are you easily frustrated or overwhelmed?
- Do you feel disconnected from God, even though you love Him?
Those might be signs that you’re running low. Not in effort. But in connection.
The Good News: You Can Rebuild
Here’s what I love about both physical and spiritual deficiency: They can be corrected.
My vitamin D level can increase. And your spiritual strength can be restored.
James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
Not might.
Not maybe.
He will.
God is not hiding from you. He’s not making this complicated. He’s simply inviting you back into connection.
Final Thought
I may not enjoy standing outside in the South Carolina heat, but I do understand this now: Avoiding the source will always cost you something. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually.
And while supplements have their place, nothing replaces direct exposure.
So, whether it’s five minutes in the morning…
A quiet moment before bed…
Or a pause in the middle of your day…
Step into the light. Because what your soul needs most isn’t more effort. It’s more connection.
A Short Prayer
Lord, thank You for being my source. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to live off of what others receive from You instead of coming to You for myself. Help me to slow down, draw near, and stay connected to You daily. Restore what’s been depleted and fill me with Your peace, joy, and strength. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
