Some people move through the holidays with bright eyes and easy excitement. Others—maybe you, maybe someone you know—feel quieter, distracted, or even a little disconnected from the celebration. It’s not about being unhappy; it’s about noticing that something inside feels different than it used to.

Over time, life teaches us to protect our hearts. We learn to shield ourselves from disappointment, pain, and betrayal—but the wrong kind of protection can close us off from joy, trust, and hope. On the other hand, leaving our hearts completely unguarded can leave us vulnerable to repeated hurt, which also dims our sense of life’s magic. Scripture encourages us to guard our hearts, because everything we do flows from them (Proverbs 4:23). How we care for our hearts determines how much we can experience joy, hope, and wonder.

This is where childlike wonder comes in. Wonder thrives in hearts that are healthy—not closed, not reckless, just safe enough to feel and receive. When your heart is protected yet open, you can notice beauty, hope for good things, trust even in uncertainty, and delight in everyday life. When your heart becomes too closed or too wounded, wonder fades, leaving life feeling heavier, faith more cautious, relationships more guarded, and even ordinary days less vibrant.

If any of this feels familiar, you’re not alone. Here are five signs you may have forgotten how to be like a child—and how God can gently restore your wonder this season.

What are the signs you’ve lost your childlike wonder?

1. You Can’t Hope for the Invisible

Children have an effortless ability to hope for things they can’t see. They dream freely and believe fully, without needing proof. But when you’ve walked through disappointments or delays, your heart may stop reaching toward what isn’t visible yet. If you struggle to imagine good things ahead, if hope feels unrealistic or unsafe, or if you shut down dreams before they even form, this is often a sign that your faith has hardened in self-protection. You’re not hopeless—you’re guarded. And guarded hearts often avoid hoping because hope feels vulnerable. But childlike trust begins when you allow yourself, even cautiously, to believe that goodness can still unfold.

2. You Assume the Worst Before Anything Happens

Children tend to trust first and expect goodness naturally. But adults who have been hurt, disappointed, or blindsided often default to assuming the worst. Your mind learns to brace for pain before it even arrives. You may find yourself anticipating betrayal, expecting circumstances to fall apart, or mentally preparing for disappointment even in moments that should feel warm or exciting. This defensive posture may feel like wisdom, but it slowly starves your heart of peace. When you’re constantly preparing for negative outcomes, there’s little room left for joy, comfort, or hope to settle in. Living in “what could go wrong” makes it impossible to enjoy what’s right in front of you.

Related Article: 9 Steps to get In the Christmas Spirit and Shine God’s Light This Season

3. You No Longer Feel Playful or Curious

Children are naturally curious—they explore, imagine, and find delight in the smallest things. But over time, responsibilities, pressure, and emotional fatigue can squeeze out that sense of play. When life becomes about survival, productivity, or control, fun starts to feel unnecessary, and imagination feels childish. If the things that once sparked your curiosity now feel pointless or impractical, it’s a sign that wonder has been replaced by routine. Playfulness isn’t immaturity; it’s oxygen for the heart. Without it, your inner world becomes flat, predictable, and spiritually tired.

4. You Overthink and Overanalyze Instead of Simply Feeling

Children feel deeply and respond simply. They laugh when something is funny, cry when something hurts, and react without layering anxiety or logic over every moment. Adults, however, often process everything through analysis and fear. If you find yourself overthinking every decision, replaying conversations, calculating every risk, or talking yourself out of joy because it seems “impractical,” your mind may be protecting you at the cost of your heart. Overthinking disconnects you from the present and makes even simple joys feel complicated. Wonder can’t thrive in a mind that’s bracing and evaluating nonstop. It grows in open, present, unguarded moments—moments overthinking steals.

5. Your Boundaries Turned Into Walls That Even Block God

Healthy boundaries allow love, peace, and safety to flow. But when you’ve been wounded repeatedly, boundaries often morph into walls—strong, tall, impenetrable. At first, these walls feel protective, but over time, they can shut out the very things your soul is longing for. You may find that the same walls that keep pain out also keep joy, vulnerability, and the presence of God at a distance. When children trust, they open their hearts without hesitation. Adults who’ve endured hardship often close theirs by default. If letting people in feels dangerous, if trusting God feels risky, or if your heart stays in self-protection mode even when you’re praying, it may be a sign your walls have become too strong. Not wrong—but too strong to let wonder enter.

Your Childlike Wonder Isn’t Lost

Here’s the truth: your wonder isn’t gone—it’s buried beneath your protection instincts. The way you guard your heart shapes how you experience joy, hope, and connection with God. The good news is that wonder can be restored. With prayer, vulnerability, and a willingness to soften even a little, God meets you in the cracks and gently revives what felt lost.

If you want support rebuilding that sense of childlike trust and joy, join my prayer community or find resources in the link in my bio. There is more hope ahead than you realize.