Spiritual Lethargy

Spiritual lethargy is something I have struggled with quite a bit. Too many times, I use my time doing other things at the expense of my spiritual life suffering. The Bible has many scriptures that teach against being a lethargic Christian. One verse that has been an encouragement to me at times when I've found myself lacking is Isaiah 43:26. The first part of the verse says "Put me in remembrance." It's a very simple phrase, but it's very powerful. We have to continually put God in remembrence. The cares of life often distract us, so we need a reminder to have the everpresent memory of God. Some pillars in the church have explained it this way: you don't always have time to read and pray for a long time, but if you get at least one scripture and think about it all day, it will be a great help to us and help us to put God in remembrance. It's been a real encouragement to me.

II Timothy 2:15 is another common verse, and it adds to the reason why we need to combat spiritual lethargy in our own lives. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, righly dividing the word of truth." We can be immensely more successful in putting God in remembrance if we make a habit of consistently reading the word and praying. I've struggled with rigorously maintaining a schedule of reading and praying, and it has worked to my detriment. It wasn't always that I didn't have time, I just convinced myself I didn't or kept putting it off and prioritizing other things. Thomas Jefferson once said "I find the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." I'm not a great believer in luck, but the quote is true in a spiritual sense. The harder we work for God, studying, following His leadings, and things like that, the greater blessings we'll receive.

An enthusiastic Christian doesn't always keep to themselves, either. That's why Hebrews 10:25 says "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching." If we want to avoid being lethargic, we need to hold ourselves responsible for others to see the fruits of our labor. Not only are we charged to personally glorify God; we're supposed to do it with others and encourage them, too! Testimonies, exhortations, or even just the unity of the assembly can be very helpful and uplifting. If we have victory in an area that someone else might be struggling in, meeting together and sharing what God has given us can have a far-reaching impact.

Pslam 96:10 says "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth." We need to go out to those who haven't seen the light and show them the way. Matthew 5:14 says "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." We're charged to be the light that others can see. God wants to use us to glorify Him and spread the gospel to others. If we're lethargic, lazy, and unenthusiastic, God won't be able to use us in the way He wants. We have all of these obligations in God's Word that indicate we can't be lethargic, so let's work against that to be a willing, capable vessel for the Lord.

Stay encouraged!