Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
rivers cannot wash it away.
I've been thinking a lot about spiritual apathy. It's something I tend to struggle with ... a complacency with where I am as a Christian. One of the most amazing things about accepting Christ's gift is the freedom that comes from knowing I will live eternally with Him. But it's so easy just to rest in that freedom. I'm not talking about slow-down-and-take-a-breath rest, I'm talking long term rest. Getting so comfortable with my relationship with Him that I begin to take for granted the fact that He loves me unconditionally and nothing I can do will ever change that. So I find myself, in fact, doing nothing.
Oh, I do my "devotions." I read my Bible. I pray about things I'm dealing with. I read lots of books. I'm in regular fellowship with other Christians. But what I find myself missing is the fire. The passion of being in love.
I know this is a relationship. I think the reason God created relationship between people is to show us how we ought to be in relationship with God. And I've seen this same kind of complacency happen between two people. They get comfortable in their relationship, start taking it for granted, and lose the fire they once had. I know there are a lot of things people do to keep their marriage alive. I'm not married yet, so I haven't experienced those personally, but might there be similar ways of keeping my Marriage alive?
So here's my question to all you out there in blog world. How do you keep your spiritual life fresh and alive? What (or who) energizes you on your spiritual journey? How do you fight against "the routine?"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Great post! For me, it is choosing to do things that require great dependence. Taking in a teenage roommate, building a relationship with an unsaved person I met on myspace, corresponding with my high school friend who's walked away from the Lord...these pursuits require trust in the Lord and His constant help. Even hard things are invigorating when they push you closer to the Savior. I try to look for things outside my comfort zone that the Lord may ask me to do.
Apathy or complacency plagues me. It's my biggest struggle. Just this last week the Lord did a number on me (in a good way) and I think what did it was me taking a risk. As soon as the pastor opened up the time for prayer at the altar I walked right up. I layed bare my ugly bahavior, thoughts, tendencies and struggles to 2 women whom I respect greatly. They wrapped their arms around me and spoke truth into my life. They gave me words of encouragement and the Lord spoke through them to me. When I put aside my pride and succumb to his call upon my heart to draw close, that's when I truly experience his love for me. Taking risks in my everyday life also gives me opportunities to trust God in new ways, finding out something different and exciting about his character and love for me.
Carolyn
Post a Comment