As Christians, we sometimes find ourselves just going through the motions. Not growing in God’s Word or discipleship leaves us in a rut. In the Revelation letter, we find such a group of Christians. They had left their first love. What was needed most? They were being encouraged to remember from where they had fallen and repent and do the first works. Failing to be attentive to the restoration of their love for God and obedience to His Word would ensure their spiritual demise. In fact, Jesus would come quickly to remove their lamp stand from its place; unless you repent (Rev. 2:4-5).
James in his epistle declared, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. (James 4:7-10).
When spiritually slumps come, we must wake up and quickly assess our situation. Why are we slumping in our worship and service to God? Is it a faith problem? Regarding faith, the Hebrew penman declared, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
The remedy for a weak faith is studying and incorporating God’s Word into our daily living; For “…faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). In addition to ramping up our faith, we would benefit greatly by intensifying our focus on our hope of Heaven. From the apostle John, we learn that God has promised us a heavenly place (1 John 2:25): “And this is the promise He has promised us, eternal life.”
With a sound faith and a solid hope, we will one day be like Him, “for we shall see Him as He is and everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1John 3:2-3).
If we want God to hear and answer our prayers, we will daily show our love for Him by our obedience to His every command (John 14:15).