Sometimes God’s children fall into spiritual ruts. They seem to be going through the motions of being a child of God but, without passion or a genuine feeling of the closeness that they have had in the past in their walk with Him. I admit that I have found myself in that situation as well.
It is in those times that we lose our excitement about the things of God and even damage our relationship with Him. While we do not reject Him altogether, we find ourselves in a very uncomfortable and awkward situation, for a while anyway. It is that in-between, not wholly with the world, but not totally in love with God either, place.
This place the scripture refers to as, spiritual complacency, being lukewarm and straddling the spiritual fence. While this may not be your problem right now, at some point in your Christian life, you may be, if you are not careful to guard yourself, by being filled daily and walking in the Holy Spirit.
All of us have the tendency to slip into a lukewarm spiritual state. Instead of being the thermostat, we become a thermometer. When everything is going well and we don’t need anything, it’s very tempting to let our guards down assuming that it will always be grand.
In Revelations 3:14-22, Jesus sent word through John in a letter to the church in Laodicea. He told them that they were spiritually complacent: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Jesus is telling us to not be content in that condition. Get up, move out! He stands ready and waiting to help us out of that wretched state, but we must desire Him more than anything else. You see it’s always “things’ that trip us up and get us sidetracked. Watch your step, watch your spiritual walk, don’t get trapped in a lukewarm state of mind and heart. Be ready to pick up and move on to a higher spiritual ground and remember that you can only get there by moving forward.
Hold Fast,
-Bren
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