Are you bored with church? Do you dread sitting through another worship service? Has the edge of excitement worn off your Christian experience?If you answered yes, chances are you're on your way to a spiritual collapse - and it could be fatal.
How did it happen, you ask? Spiritual collapse could be caused by an anemic devotional life that substitutes an occasional snack for a daily spiritual feast. A promise to yourself to get to it later doesn't substitute for consistency in daily Bible study and prayer.
Keith, a member of a local church (who wishes to remain anonymous,) tried to fake it, but he knew the zest had gone out of his Christian experience. He carried his Bible back and forth to church, but rarely opened it. Although he once was an avid reader of every Christian biography he could find, Keith now preferred to watch TV. What's more, he avoided his Christian friends (who seemed to him, to be getting more spiritual all the time.)
Keith couldn't figure out what had gone wrong. He had accepted the Lord as personal Savior three years ago. Now he felt like he was trying to go up a down escalator. Stirring his Starbucks, Keith shared, "I know I'm saved, and I do love the Lord, but it just doesn't seem real anymore."
When questioned about his devotional life, he admitted that he never really had one that was consistent. Keith started out all right, but because of a haphazard devotional life, he failed to grow spiritually. The New Testament instructs:"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good" (1 Peter 2:2 NIV).
Just as physical growth depends on daily nourishment, our Christian growth is a direct result of a proper spiritual diet. Keith couldn't survive on spiritual snacks, and neither can we. A disciplined devotional life is a must. Here's what we shared with Keith to get him back on track:
1. Set aside a certain place for your devotional period. Turn off the TV, throw the pup a bone, and do whatever it takes to free the place of distractions. Then make the habit of going there daily.
2. Choose the time that is best for your schedule. If you have a job, right after work is sometimes best. (If you're really brave, you could try getting up earlier.) Don't schedule anything else for that time, and let everyone know it's reserved. Now, get ready for some real spiritual meals.
If you've set half an hour aside for devotions, use at least 10 minutes for prayer (talking to God) and Bible reading (listening to God). The remaining time can then be devoted to systematic Bible study. An even more scrumptious feast would be 45 minutes to an hour spent in prayer and Bible study, but more important than the amount of time spent, is what you do with it.
A word about how to listen to the Lord: Begin your prayer time with thanksgiving for what God has done for you. Remember, He saved you. If He never did another thing, He would deserve your praise. Besides, the Bible says that God indwells the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).
When you pray, ask God to clear your mind, and then tell Him the things you think about, even if they seem silly. ("God, I forgot to pick up the laundry. Help!") Ask specific questions; He will answer them in His time.
After praying, stay put, and listen to your heart. "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord" (Proverbs 20:27). Don't underestimate those inner impressions. This is sometimes referred to as "waiting upon the Lord". Believe His presence is there because He said so.
Share your prayer concerns with praying Christians and friends, Sunday school teacher, etc. God uses other people and circumstances as well as the Bible to speak to us, but whatever means He uses must line up with the Scriptures.
Part 2 of this article will deal with personal Bible study. Please subscribe to receive notification of its posting. (It’s free.)
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