Episode #195: Stuck In A Spiritual Slump? What To Do When Your Faith Feels Stale. – What’s Going On?!

Hey friend, does your relationship with God ever feel stale?

If that's the case, don't stress about it. We're taking that into conversation with God today because you don't have to stay stuck in that slump.

I think it's a really common experience to go through times of spiritual development, where it just, it doesn't feel like a lot is developing. You can feel like you're missing something. Or maybe even like your excitement for God just isn't what it used to be.

I know for me, when I've felt this, there are times when I feel kind of indifferent about reading the Bible or I've wondered if God's really present in my life like he is with other people, or I've even felt guilty about what feels like this spiritual stagnation.

Like why don't I feel energized about this opportunity to know God, the creator of the universe? And I share that with you because, Hi. I'm a Bible teacher. I've loved God and been a Christian for decades. So I want to take the stigma away from that. Like we're humans. We're allowed to go through peaks and valleys, but what matters so much is what we do in the midst of those times.

And what I encourage you not to do is to beat yourself up about it. Don't feel like you have to stay away. And don't feel like you have to work yourself up to like a fake excitement to draw near but come to God honestly. And ask him to show you that he is who he says. Ask him to show you how he is faithful to you and ask him to show you why you're feeling this way and what to do about it.

In Zephaniah 1, there's a passage that's talking about men who are complacent, and it says,

“they say in their hearts, the Lord will not do good, nor will he do ill.” (Zephaniah 1:12b)

It sounds to me like in their complacency; they're thinking of God as complacent. Almost like, what does it even matter?

And so if you were in, in what feels like a stagnant, stuck place, do you feel like God is going to do good or do you feel like he would even do anything? Scripture's full of places where God tells us he is good, and he does good. And so if that doesn't feel true to you, that's a great thing to dive into in study and in prayer. But also if that doesn't feel true to you, if you're like, man, I feel complacent, but I actually think God still does good, let it take a load off.

Maybe you're not as complacent as you may think. Perhaps you're just hungry.

Or perhaps you need more hunger for the right things.
I'm going to read a couple of passages for us. The first is Matthew 5:6, where Jesus says,

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)

And then I'm going to read the end of 1 Peter 1, which continues into 1 Peter 2. The believers are being exhorted in verse 13 prepare your minds for action, be sober minded, set your hope fully on the grace that we brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Then it's talking about as obedient children, don't be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.

And how our souls in verse 22 are purified by our obedience to the truth.

In verse 23, “since you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God, for all flesh is like grass and all its glory, the flower of grass, the grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:23-25)

Chapter 2:1,

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Now you might be wondering, Jen, why did you just read all of that to me? Well, this passage is talking about how to conduct our lives as those who are followers of Christ.
We get to be those who are preparing our minds for action and are sober-minded with our hope fully set on the grace that comes through Jesus. Not being conformed to our old passions, but because of Christ and because his word remains in us, We can put away malice and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and slander and long for pure spiritual milk, because we've tasted that God is good.

And then calling back to Matthew, we're blessed when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, for right standing with God, because we will be filled.

God himself fulfills that longing in us.

And so if you feel indifferent, if you feel stagnant, are there ways that you need your hunger for God to increase? And what does it look like for you to partner with God in that increase?

Maybe that's simply receiving more of that from him.
Maybe your appetites have trended toward unhealthy things, and so they're robbing you of some of your joy, because you're not hungering for and being fed by pure spiritual milk.

And so my question that I offer us today comes in two parts.

Our first question has to do with believing that God will do good, that He is not complacent toward us or toward the world. So we start there,

God, I believe that you do good. Will you help grow that belief in me?

Or maybe it's even God, I want to believe that you'll do good. Will you help me believe?

Then the second part has to do with our appetites, and we're just asking God to increase it. Don't feel pressure to put a lot of activities on your to do list. Simply ask him what that could look like for you.

God, please increase my appetite. What's one way I can cultivate a holy hunger today?

Have a good talk.

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