The crisis of life “with” God
We live in a generation that values what is visible, shareable, and recognized. In the midst of this, life with God faces a silent risk: losing the value of what is done in secret. What should be the foundation of our faith—intimacy with the Father—is often replaced by a spirituality that is visible, yet empty.
Jesus taught us a completely different path—a path where what is done in secret is not optional, but essential.
Where It all begins
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…”
A true life with God is not born in public, but in secret. It is there, away from human eyes, that the relationship is built, the heart is aligned, and faith becomes real.
Jesus was not only teaching about prayer, but about priorities. What we do in secret reveals where our heart truly is. When that place loses value, faith begins to grow shallow, and everything starts to feel difficult.
Without secrecy, there is no depth. Without intimacy, there is no real transformation. Public expressions may impress, but it is the secret place that sustains.
I know there are days when consistency feels hard. But living without those moments is also hard—and even more painful is living distant from Him.
Replacing the essence
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…”
Matthew 6:5
One of the greatest dangers in the spiritual life is exchanging essence for appearance—doing things to be seen, speaking to be recognized, living to be approved.
Jesus directly confronts this behavior. He shows that it is possible to appear spiritual without truly being so. And this reveals a deeper crisis: when we seek people’s validation more than God’s presence.
A spirituality based on appearance may generate applause, but it does not produce transformation. God is not moved by performance, but by sincerity. He sees what no one else can see.
Cultivated in secret
“…Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Matthew 6:6
There is a powerful promise in Jesus’ teaching: what is done in secret is never hidden from God.
The reward is not necessarily public recognition, but growth, maturity, direction, and His presence. God honors those who truly seek Him, even when no one else is watching.
Valuing the secret place means choosing a real relationship with God. It is understanding that being known by Him matters more than being seen by people. The crisis in our life with God begins when the secret place is no longer a priority.
But it is also there that everything can be restored.
Return to your room. Close the door. And rediscover the God who has always been waiting for you.
by
Rapha Abreu
Rapha Abreu é Jornalista e Produtora cultural, e faz parte da equipe de marketing, redação e produção de conteúdo da Mr. Rocco.
