Heaven is the place where God dwells and where we can rest from all our cares after we die. Many of us long to go there to find our perfect place of peace. But what happens when that desire fades and heaven is no longer your goal? What causes the change and how can you desire heaven again?

You feel unworthy

One of the reasons you may no longer desire to go to heaven is because you feel you are no longer worthy.

This belief is most often the result of something you did or did not do. You may struggle with an addiction or a habit that is damaging. You stop seeing God as a loving Father and instead see Him as a vengeful God waiting to punish you.

This belief of an unkind God is damaging because it is false. Not only does it distance you from Him. But also, in believing this lie, you devalue your own worth as a child of God.

God loves you no matter what. He desperately wants you to come home. He sent Jesus for that very purpose. There is nothing you or I could ever do that Jesus hasn't already paid the ultimate price for. Run to Him and let Him lead you home.

You feel unloved

Perhaps, you no longer desire to go to heaven because you feel unwanted and unloved. You feel God has abandoned you. When you call out to Him, you do not feel Him answering or even listening to your pleas.

I think we all have felt the "silence" of heaven at certain times in our lives. But I have learned, when it seems God is silent, it is because I am not making the right pleas. Often, in my desire to be saved from heartache, I ask God to take away the storm. But, because we need storms for our growth - much like the earth needs the rain - God cannot answer that request.

It is not that God won't answer the request; it is that His answer is no, so I see God as silent. But He is simply waiting for the right plea. I have learned to say instead, "God, please give me the strength to get through this storm."

Most often, God does not calm the storm. He calms us and gives us the strength to pass through the storm safely.

You feel it's too difficult

It's easy to look at everyone around you and feel you will never measure up. It's also easy to listen to everyone telling you what you have to do to get into heaven and think that you will never be able to do all the things required to get there. Life in and of itself is hard; and, when you add all the qualifications to get into heaven, it is overwhelming.

If this is your mindset, then perhaps you are missing the mission of Jesus. We call Jesus Savior because He is just that, He saves. He saves us from this life, from our sins and often from ourselves.

It's true - you can't possibly do all the things required for a heavenly reward on your own, which is why God sent a Savior in the first place. Jesus overcame all so you wouldn't have to. All you must do is confess His name, follow Him and earnestly strive to keep His commandments. He paid the price for all sins, including yours. Through Him the way is easy and the burden made light.

You don't understand God

Maybe your desire to go to heaven has diminished because you don't understand who God really is and therefore do not want to live with Him. You have forgotten He is your Father and you are His child. You have forgotten to recognize His hand in all things, and you may see life as a state of being and not a path back to heaven.

God is your Father. He loves you and He loves me. He wants all of us to come home. If you struggle to know Him, begin again by learning about Him. Pray to Him. Ask to feel His great love for you. Seek to recognize Him in the world around you. Ponder the Bible. Learn to hear His still small voice. He will speak to you if you ask with a believing heart. Believe God is there. He will show Himself to you.

Heaven is real and God is there waiting for you.