No Spiritual Energy

No Spiritual Energy

There are times when our spiritual energy falls off. Sometimes we can feel it coming, at other times it creeps up on us. For me, it is the worst when I feel like there is so much to do and yet I have no “get up and go” in the Lord. When our spiritual energy is depleted, what is going on and what can we do about it?

Here is my short list of reasons we are energy poor.

1.      We are in a time of testing. At times God allows tests and temptations into our lives. Some come when we have little strength or ambition to deal with them. This happens because God is seeking to build our ability to draw strength from Him when we have none. Being deprived of energy during a test is an opportunity to grow in acquiring and utilizing the strength of the Lord.

2.      Fear. Fear can rob us of our spiritual strength. Fear seeks to rule over us, pushing aside our ability to have faith in God and live at peace in all situations. Fear empowers a situation for the purpose of removing our ability to abide in Christ Jesus and bear fruit in every situation in life. Deal with fear, take it to the Lord and engage the Lord through prayer, meditation, worship and scripture. Use fear to help hear from God and gain new perspective in the midst of my fear. Like the disciples in the boat with Jesus, facing the storm, the presence of the Lord is often not enough to remove fear from my heart. I need Him to speak, direct, re-direct and encourage.

3.      Health. When our health is failing, we can also undergo decreasing spiritual energy. The combination of sickness and fatigue can take us to a level of inability to pray or even think about God. Not all sickness and disease takes us to this extreme, but we can experience this despairing of our lives at times. When you are in this condition, you need both God and others. God is there is do His work within you and others are there to bear your burdens that you cannot carry at this time. Through prayer, love and spiritual service we can take the weight off one another for a time. Just as those who are yoked to Christ Jesus enjoy a lighten load because of our position with Jesus, so too the body of Christ can help carry a person who is in need. Intercession is more than words of expression. Words and works, both from God and others, help those who are weary carry on.

4.      Spiritual Warfare. In Ephesians 6, we find the call to put on the armor of God so that we can fight against the schemes of the enemy. The word “stand” occurs several times in this discourse. There are powers and forces in this world that want to knock us down and remove us from hindering them. Everyone who fights in these spiritual battles gets tired. Ephesians calls us to stand in the strength of the Lord might. But this call to stand in the Lord’s strength, verse ten, follows instructions on right relationships. Engaging is spiritual warfare with relationships that are in need of attention often results in minimal success and low spiritual energy. Beware of trying to engage in a spiritual battle when your family life is out of order or when anger or un-forgiveness has dominated in relationships.

5.      Love grown cold. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew twenty-four warns us that because of an increase in lawlessness most people’s love will grow cold. The next verse conveys to us that those who endure to the end will be saved. Cold love effects our resolve to endure. To battle against our love for God growing cold we give thanks to God, we recall and witness of all that God has done for us. Shout for joy and celebrate the goodness of the Lord. Thankfulness fans the flames of love. Proclaiming in word and deed what God has done for you fuels the fire.

6.      Mountain tops. When you have reached the top of a mountain, you often find your strength depleted. Satan often tries to use busyness, spiritual busyness, as a tool to wear us out and defeat us. Mission’s projects, revivals, Vacation Bible School, conferences and intense seasons of prayer can all be “mountain top” experiences that leave us fatigued. It is wise to give yourself time to transition back down the mountain before taking on the everyday duties of life let alone another climb up another mountain. Those who run from one mountain top to another, who fill their life with activity, often fail to see just how weak and weary they are, suppressing their true condition behind activity.

7.      Spiritual Hunger. If you go through a season where you do not have spiritual food, your energy can run low. We need an ongoing supply of the life of God to keep going. Just as fasting natural food can be good to awaken us to new insights and intimacy with God, spiritual fasting can do the same. But in the long run we need to eat, both naturally and spiritually, or the body will start to break down. The absence of Spiritual food is not the same as a call to change churches or ministries. Do not be driven by a desire to have your needs met, always let the Lord drive you. Be aware of your need for spiritual food and refresh yourself at the feet of Jesus, through books and publications, media and personal conversations. Even if you are in a position of constantly “giving out,” learn to pause awhile and peacefully listen, wait, soak at the feet of Jesus. Spiritual pride (how much we are needed, how important we are) can sneak in and compel us to do more than the Lord requires, causing us to have spiritual hunger.  

"The Dark Night of the Soul" by John of the Cross is a deep read about spiritual formation. If you enjoy language, John is considered one of Spain's best poets, you will enjoy this work even more. As is often the case with translated books, we enjoy the book to the degree that we enjoy the translator, so I check out different translators before you make your final opinion.