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Sad and Tired: Rekindling Your Spiritual Zeal

 



Why is it that it was so easy the “hour we first believed?” (Amazing Grace). Often new believers seem to have a greater outpouring of the Spirit, wisdom, and zeal. Then as the tempests of life come our way, and we face more seasons of the cross than Pentecost, the fiery furnace rather than tongues of fire, we become tired. Its not that our faith in Christ wains, but that once excited pilgrim on the way to heaven at the beginning of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress turns into a tattered paladin in burnt and bloodied armor. What happens? Why must this be?! Is is maturity or is something amiss? God please speak to me as you once did! 


 The silence can be deafening. Is it a test? Am I moving from a faith of milk to that of meat?, “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready,” (1 Corinthians 3:2), and  “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” (Hebrews 5:13). The reasonings revolve around in our minds, but in the end we find ourselves sad and tired. What is the remedy? How do we recovery that honeymoon phase of our marriage to the Lamb? Usually the answer lies in the beginning. Many couples to rekindle the romance start dating again, and revisiting those places and things when they fell in love. The same advice is in Jesus’ words to one of the churches, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned your first love. Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works (deeds, things) you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5).  


 There is power in Remembering and returning to our honeymoon state. At some point we allow life to numb us, to infect us, and like couples who seek to restore the spark, we too must do the same with Christ. If you feel yourself now sad and tired, its time to do as you did when you were inspired.   To go back to your first love, Jesus, and do as you did when you felt closest to Him. 


There is a great song that sums up the point well: 


“When I was a kid, I was sure

I could run across the ocean

And I was gonna be an astronaut

When it was You, and it was me

I had everything I needed

Faith could even move a mountain top

And then I grew up

And then I got older

Then my life got tough

And we grew apart

Oooh, I wanna go back

To "Jesus loves me, this I know"

"For the Bible tells me

"For the Bible tells me so"

I wanna go back

To "This little light

"Gonna let it shine"

"Gonna let it shine"

I wanna go back

When I was a kid, I didn't care

To keep up with the Joneses

I was just happy that they lived next door

It was You, there was me

I had everything I needed

Your hands were big enough to hold the world

And then I grew up

And then I got older

Then my life got tough

And we grew apart

I wanna go back to

To "Jesus loves me, this I know"

"For the Bible tells me

"For the Bible tells me so¨

I wanna go back

To "This little light"

"Gonna let it shine"

"Gonna let it shine"

I wanna go back

Back to

"Yes, Jesus loves me"

"Oh, yes, Jesus loves me"

"Yes, Jesus loves me"

I wanna go back” (Songwriters: Benji Cowart / David Dunn / Hank Bentley

I Wanna Go Back lyrics © Word Music Llc, Howiecowie Publishing). Amen. 






One of great comforts is a scene of Jesus in Gethsemane in Jesus Christ Superstar. He says with a very worn voice, “Three years, feels like fifty. At first I was so inspired, now I’m sad and tired.” Ted Needley does a grand job of conveying how this world has the power to ware down the most inspired, even the Word of God in his humanity is not exempt from its effects, albeit He doesn’t give in and sin. 

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