Three Signs Your Spiritual Life May Be Beginning to Slip

How do you know if your spiritual life is starting to slip?

Have you ever gone through a period of lessened spiritual intensity? You are not alone. It is a very common problem and one that you can deal with successfully. As a son or daughter of God, you have been called to serve with devotion and vigilance. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, Romans 13.11-12.

What are three signs to look for if you feel your spiritual life is starting to wane?

Are you living on yesterday’s manna? During Israel’s time of wandering, God supplied His people with manna from above, sustaining them in the dry, desolate wilderness, Exodus 16. For six days every week for forty years, God supplied manna from heaven, without any effort on the part of the Israelites, 16.31-36. Each morning they were to go out and gather all they could eat for that day. But, if they held on to the manna from the day before, it went bad and was filled with worms, 16.19-20. Today, Christians receive spiritual manna from the word of God. Daily Scripture reading nourishes, purifies and keeps us honest. See Acts 17.11. If you have become content with living on yesterdays’ blessings and success and are not pursuing a daily relationship with Him and His word, you will drift backward in your relationship with God.

Have you reverted to finding comfort in fleshly desires instead of seeking the God of all comfort? It can be very easy to fall back into the same behaviors and habits of your former way. Today’s fast paced lifestyle leads to stress. Problems at work, at home, and in marriage can weigh heavily on the soul. How do you cope? Are you allowing your body to dictate the situation? Your spirit may be willing, but your flesh is weak, Matthew 26.41. Resolve to bring your body under control, 1 Corinthians 9.27, and once and for all put to death what is earthly in you, Colossians 3.5. Succumbing to your fleshly desires is contrary to your new identity in Christ. Christianity is all about becoming the person God has made you. Don’t let your body hold you back.

Are you starting to long for the temporary peace the world provides, more than the lasting peace that comes from God alone? There is no lasting peace in this world. Real peace is never found in the abundance of things, knowledge, or worldly praise. Possessions are subject to rot and decay, Matthew 6.19-21. Knowledge and educational achievement will matter little once this life ends, Ecclesiastes 1.16; 7.25. Seeking worldly praise will lead you away from God, Galatians 1.10. Seek peace from God. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth, Psalm 121.2. Jesus said, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid, John 14.27.
Always, always give careful attention to your spiritual life. Be aware of signs of potential danger. When you observe them, take immediate action. Procrastination and denial are your enemy. You don’t have to go down the road that leads to a lessening of spiritual intensity. Pursue God with passion. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, 1 Thessalonians 5.6.

– Matthew Allen