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I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead, so they will obey my laws and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.
EZEKIEL 11:19-20
Day 27
Do you ever feel as if you're just going through the motions of being a Christian—that attending church, reading your Bible, serving others, and having a daily quiet time are only more "to-dos" for your schedule?
We all have times when we feel spiritually stagnant. But what really matters is what we choose to do about such times. Will we use them to discover more about God or to shelve our Bibles in a dusty spot?
When You Feel like a Fake
Several years ago, my spiritual life was stagnant. Although I wouldn't have admitted it then, I was spiritually bored. I knew there must be more to the Christian life than what I was experiencing—but I didn't know how to obtain it. Although I was a Christian and glad I could talk to God about the big things in life, the reality was, there weren't many big things happening. My life consisted of dishes, dust, and diapers.
After a lot of soul-searching, I realized that, despite the fact I'd become a Christian at twelve and had attended church all my life, much of what I had stuffed into my head had never dropped into my heart. I went through periods when I'd get excited about my faith; then my enthusiasm would wane. It wasn't until I began to meet God through prayer and reading his Word—instead of just "doing my quiet time" as a habit—that I began to grow as a Christian.
Instead of just memorizing Scripture "because I should," I began to memorize Scripture and pray over it, asking God to bring it to mind throughout the day so I could apply it to my life. Often I'd write out one of its applications a put it on the top of my prayer list. Then I'd think about ways to use it during the day in conversations with other people. God's Word began to transform my actions, thoughts, and words.
And the more I immersed myself in Scripture, the more I longed for time alone with God. I've learned to approach my time with God with the prayer of Psalm 119:18, which says, "Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your law." I began to ask the Lord to show me my "wonderful truth" for that day. Sometimes he gave me a particular verse to help me during the day or an insight into Scripture.
But I discovered that when I had this kind of time with God, his Word and the prayer needs of others were brought to mind throughout the day. Someone has put it well: Your time alone with God helps ensure a twenty-four-hour walk with him.
Our responsibility is to do faithfully what
we believe God has called us to do. His
responsibility is to fulfill those plans in response
to our faithfulness, according to his perfect timing.
JUDY DOUGLASS
We have to remember that the Enemy doesn't want us to walk with God. When an extra hour opens up in our day—a perfect hour to be with the Lord—we have a choice as to how to spend it. Unless we have a deep need to know God better and cultivate our relationship with him, it's easy to spend free time doing housework or making phone calls. So I've found that I need to schedule time with God the same way I schedule other appointments. But I also need to make him my first priority. If I'm to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, I can't make our meeting optional. In order to love him, it's essential to spend time with him!
—Carole Mayhall
A STEP FURTHER
Make Your Faith Real
1. Make your faith your own. God doesn't have spiritual grandchildren; you must claim Jesus as your personal Savior (see Rom. 3:23).
2. Increase your heart knowledge. Knowing God's Word by heart is critical if you want to mature in the faith.
3. Really get to know God. Anticipate time alone with him through Bible reading and prayer as you would a meeting with a friend.
4. Pray for a healthy appetite. Ask God for a hunger for his Word, a thirst for his righteousness.
5. Live out your faith authentically. A good work is anything you do in the name of the Lord (see Col. 3:17).
—CM
Faith Focus
Is your faith authentic, or do you sometimes feel like a fake? If you're in a spiritual slump, which of the following steps could you take to liven up your spiritual life?
- Schedule a consistent time with God.
- Learn portions of the Bible by heart.
- Keep a record of how God is working in your life on a day-to-day basis to change you to be more like him. Why not use this list for encouragement on days when you feel discouraged?
Prayer Pointer
Let this be your prayer: "I pray
that Christ will be more and
more at home in my heart as I
trust in him. May my roots go
down deep into the soil of God's
marvelous love … Then I will
be filled with the fullness of life
and power that comes from you"
(based on Eph. 3:17-19).
 The 30 Days Series is a 3 book set offering 30 thought provoking daily devotions each. Each day's lesson offers a Scripture passage, short message or story, quote for the day, tips on implementing the lesson, and a suggested prayer.
These 30 day devotionals are powerful little books that you won't want to be without. Order the 3 book set or pick from the 3 individual titles.
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Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc. All rights reserved. Excerpted from 30 Days to a More Incredible Relationship with God, by Ramona Cramer Tucker, pages 158-163. Used by permission. For reprint information call 630-260-6200.
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