This summer I went to a Gospel concert and the singer got so hype and said “Tonight we have a special guest!” I started thinking and running through the list of my favorite gospel singers like “Omg y’all they are about to bring out Cece Winans!!!” (I don’t remember who I said, but bare with me here lol)
After our whole row was contemplating who was there, he shouts “It’s Jesus!!!”
Admittedly, I was like awww of course, but who else??
When we lose sight of who we are worshipping, we can become “used to” His presence.
When the King of Glory knocks on the door of our hearts on a busy day, we make Him wait. We can get so excited to see our friends on a weekend, but will dread getting up for church or to pray. Or we can move through each day as just another day, instead of seeing it as an opportunity for God’s renewed mercies and blessings.
This can lead to spiritual stagnancy.
stag·nant:
(of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence.
This is where there is little to no hope, lack of expectation, lack of focus, maybe even your prayers start to sound the same, or there’s no revelation. Deeper and deeper we sink just like when David said in Psalm 69:1-3, until we feel overwhelmed. Here, you may be speaking to God but your heart is far from Him.
Your walk with Christ may have had a stagnant period,
or you may be in it right now.
How can we overcome or prevent this? The Holy Spirit is our Helper and is the living water, the flow that we must be in rhythm with.
‘On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)’
John 7:37-39 NLT
- Ask for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in reading the Word in order to get excited about Him again. You won’t get excited to commune someone you don’t know!
God often calls believers’ sacrifices a sweet smelling incense or aroma to Christ.
- To defeat the unpleasant smell of stagnancy, let your simple yet fervent prayer rise to God from your heart.
‘May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.’
Psalm 141:2 NIV
- When your spiritual life seems stale, you can also find time to just rest in His Presence and you’ll be refreshed; better than a cold glass of water at 2am!
‘Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord’
Acts 3:19 NKJV
God’s well never runs dry. His waters are ever flowing, and you can be watered too through fasting. This is a major key in a believers life! In Isaiah 58, it discusses what a genuine fast is and this is the Lord’s promise to those who abide:
‘And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.’
Isaiah 58:11
As a believer in Jesus, your Redeemer, way maker, miracle worker, defender, fighter, and restorer is living inside of you. He is not just a guest but has made you His home. How exciting? That the God who made the universe rests in you.
Ask God to make you be in awe of Him again. To pull you out of stagnancy and place you on higher ground.
The one who made the stars and calls them out by name knows yours. Let Him lead you as you fight the good fight of faith.
Recently, in my walk with God I’ve been finding that maybe my lack of faith and understanding is most likely because I don’t know God’s Word enough! There’s no knowledge to build my faith on.
If you’re struggling like me to consistently read the Word, pray this prayer with me-
God, I thank You for being the Living Word. As I spend time with You in Your Word, I pray that Your Holy Spirit will help me to understand Your scriptures. You said that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, so I pray that my faith in You increases as I hear the Word! Open my eyes spiritually so that the words become alive to me. Help me to remember the scriptures as I am transformed by Your word.
In Jesus name, Amen.
joy-full 