One day a few years ago, I woke up and didn’t feel like praying or reading my Bible. I thought to myself, “I’m just tired and have a lot going on. I’ll get back on it tomorrow.” But when tomorrow came, it was the same thing, and it kept happening. With each passing day, my desire to grow spiritually faded. I knew that I needed to be reading God’s Word, and I knew that I needed to be praying. But no matter how much I knew I needed to do those things, I just didn’t want to. I kept going to church and doing “churchy things,” but it was like my spiritual fire had been put out, and I didn’t know how to get it back.
Have you been there? Does this scenario sound similar to something you’ve experienced? Are you wondering, “How did I get here?” and “When will my desire to grow spiritually return?” Sometimes our desire to grow wanes when we focus more on our difficult circumstances than we do on the One who can solve them. Sometimes our desire gets choked away because our lives are so packed and overflowing to the brim that we make little to no room for our relationship with God. And sometimes our desire fades when we allow subtle distractions (like television or social media) to overtake the time and energy we need to focus on our spiritual growth. Whatever the case, it is VITAL that we focus on reigniting the flame for our spiritual growth so that we can mature into the women God desires us to be.
How do we reignite our desire to grow spiritually once the flame has gone out? Philippians 2:13 (ESV) says “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Since God is the One who gives us the desire for what pleases Him, we have to go to Him to get our desire for spiritual growth back. This should not just be a one-time request, though. We should continually pray for our growth and maturity in Christ. Paul gave us a great example of how to do this in Colossians 1 when he told the church at Colosse that he had not ceased praying for their spiritual growth. Part of the prayer he prayed (vs. 9-10, ESV) says:
“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
But sister, we can’t just stop there. We must be proactive in regaining our desire for spiritual growth, and that comes about by being prayerful, diligent, and consistent in spiritual practices. Below are a few practical things we can do to reignite the flame and keep it burning:
- Pray to God: Honor God as the Holy and Righteous God, but also pour out your heart and admit your lack of desire. Confess any thoughts, actions, and attitudes that have kept you from drawing near to Him. Ask Him to graciously rekindle your fire for Him and to help you stay faithful in pursuing Him.
- Listen to Him: Read your Bible. Don’t do it as an obligation, but show up with a desire to see and hear the Lord in a fresh way. He wants to meet with us one-on-one. When we are faithful to show up, He is faithful to make Himself known to us (James 4:8a). He wants to speak to us, but we have to position ourselves to listen.
- Sing to Him: Use your favorite music app or listen to your favorite CD to help you enter His presence. Or sing whatever song is in your heart about Him. Sing throughout the day! He inhabits our praise. He dwells in it!
- Be accountable: Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable for your spiritual growth by joining you, by checking in with you on your progress periodically, and even by praying for you continually (as Paul did for the Colossians). There is power in having a friend to walk alongside you in your growth journey.
- Keep showing up: It’s important to note that the feeling of “being into it” or being close to God may not automatically come, but there is power in persistence. James 4:8a says that when we draw close to God, He will draw close to us. Drawing close is not a one and done thing. It takes time and consistency. Be faithful to show up regularly. When we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13).
Let’s Get Practical: Reflect & Grow
- What has caused your desire for spiritual growth to fade? Be honest with yourself and journal your thoughts.
- Before your desire faded, what spiritual practices helped you in your pursuit for growth? Journal your thoughts, and start back with those practices as soon as possible.
- Who can you ask to help keep you accountable on your spiritual growth journey? Be sure to reach out to ask for help!
Great post and practical tips for being recharged! It’s something that I deal with regularly especially serving in ministry! It’s good to know I’m not alone. Praise God that He loves us that much and is always drawing us back to Him!
Thank you for your comment, Kirstyn! Yes, burnout in ministry is real. I’m so glad this post has been helpful to you. I love how great God’s love and grace are for us, as well. I pray that you always find replenishment when your desire for growth starts to fade.
Melanie,
Your blog over the past year has meant so much to me, first of all it has made me proud. I’ve always known that you were destine to do something exceptional. Your last blog hit home for me. We all have gone thru stages of becoming distant from God. Not reading His word, and when we did it was out of I know I should rather than seeking a closer relationship with Him. I’ve even said why pray, my other prayers hasn’t been answered. When we go thru these stages, God knows we are going thru some of the trials of life. He is our Father, and He is very patient. He waits for us, and when we are ready. HIS arms are waiting.
Thank you so much for your comment, Ms. Curry! Your kind words and support mean more than I can express. My heart is glad that you have been blessed by my blog and especially this last post. You are so right in all you said. I’m so glad that God’s love for us is patient and that He extends His mercy and grace to us when we need them. I love you, and I’m praying for you.