Have you ever been at a place in your life where you feel uninspired? A place where everything you have to do feels like a drag? Ordinary things, fun things, important things? The feeling that you just can’t get up emotionally and that you are roaming through life without any real fire and passion. It’s a very tough place to be. You feel that life is tossing you around, doing whatever it wants to do, and you are just along for the ride. Can I remind you that Elijah the great prophet felt that way, Jeremiah felt that way, and David talked about wasting away in his bones all the day long?
The longer you commit to living the right way, doing it God’s way, the more these times and seasons will come into your life. I must encourage you times of refreshing from the Spirit of the Lord will come again. I want to give you three things to do, if you feel lifeless, that will help you.
#1 Take some time for yourself
Many times, we are afraid to ask those around us for personal time because it feels selfish. Be selfish when it comes to taking the time you need. Talk to those you love and say, “I need a few hours to just get away from it all.”
Every important turning point in someone’s life in the Bible that produced a turnaround began with allowing himself or herself to have extended periods before God.
David, lying before the Lord after his sin. Jeremiah even went to a retreat to ponder his life. Elijah, of course, took the time to just tell God, “I want to die.” God could handle the fact that Elijah was having a pity party, God just wanted to be in on the process of Elijah pouring out his heart.
You have to break the cycle of ordinary scenery and find yourself an altar, a getaway spot, to receive fresh revelation.
#2 Take yourself to the places where God has been there for you
When I become lifeless and weary, I take a drive down the places where it all began. An old liquor store/market by the first church building. It is there that I remind myself of past battles and trials. Where it took everything inside me just to stay in the calling. It’s taking this trip to my first church building that God shows me a young man who wanted to quit and how God brought him out of that place to a miracle place now just down the road called the Dream Center.
Looking at how far God has brought you will remind you of just how much you have experienced in your journey. Reminding yourself of the journey will show you all the adventure that is your life.
#3 Hang around new Christians
When life has taken all the passion out of you, hang around new Christians. Force yourself to be around people who still tingle when everything is new to them. At all cost, avoid negative people and dream killers. Avoid people who take delight in discussing calamity and scandal. Refuse to have long conversations with them and avoid people who are on spiritual life support. Find people who are red-hot for God. It doesn’t matter if they have perfect theology, or even if they have only been saved for a month, find that person.
I know a major league baseball player who goes to minor league games and watches players who are struggling to make the big leagues. He watches them dive, slide, tear their knees up, and do whatever they can to succeed. They are hungry, they are fresh, and they are alive. A major league player buying a ticket to watch players who are fresh and alive in their pursuit, reminds him to stay hungry.
WHEN TIRED SAINTS HANG AROUND TIRED SAINTS IT PRODUCES TIRED SAINTS. Find someone who is fresh and get near him or her. The seasoned Christian can often learn so much from someone who is fresh and new in his or her zeal for God.
When I get exhausted in the race, I simply go down to the rehab home and just talk to the people in the program. They remind me to get over my entitled self and find joy in the beauty of the journey.
You are going to feel again! It’s praise when everything is going right and your life is in your hands. It’s a sacrifice of praise when you don’t feel like it but you do it anyways.
