After a while, our Christian walk can feel like we’re just going through the motions. Although our feelings can’t always be trusted or changed, there are a few things we can try to get the fire back, and today we’ll talk about four of those.
I came across the story of Peter today—when he jumped out of a boat and into a stormy sea at a Word from Jesus. He didn’t think about how mind-blowing it was that Jesus was already walking across the water. He just bailed on out with Him.
On the water. In the middle of a storm. Like it was a perfectly normal thing to do. Peter was on fire for Jesus.
And then he realized what he’d done. He noticed how high the waves were around him. The logical part of his brain took over and told him, “You shouldn’t be on the water. You’ll sink. What were you thinking?”
Then he sank.
I’ve read that account for most of my life, and I’ve always had one question: Why couldn’t Peter just keep his eyes on Jesus? He’d seen Jesus heal countless people from horrible diseases and demons—had even seen Jesus speak the waves into submission during another storm.
Yet Peter lost focus.
Maturity brings more clarity, and I can understand how Peter lost focus because I can see myself in him. Wave walking comes easily when my eyes are on Jesus, but there’s so much to catch my attention. So much that grows bigger the longer I look at it. And before I know it, I’ve sunk.
Peter noticed immediately he was sinking; I don’t usually notice until I can’t breathe. Even still, I’m never too deep that Jesus can’t grab my hand.
I love that imagery, reaching out to Jesus in my desperation and fear, but for us here and now, ours is a more spiritual hand than physical.
That’s not to say there aren’t a few physical things we can do to reach out.
Tips for Getting the Fire Back
#1 – Pray, pray, pray.
Talk to Him. Be honest.
And if you’re having trouble getting the words out or remembering to pray, try:
- Using an app like PrayerMate or Echo. They have templates to get you started and reminders you can set.
- Using the biggest resource most everyone has—your smartphone. Set reminders to pray throughout the day.
- Journaling your thoughts. Sometimes I can articulate my thoughts easier by writing them out. Dear Diary meets prayer.
#2 – Interact with the Word.
If you’re like me, you faithfully read the Bible each day even during a dry spell. But during those times, I’ve found that interacting with it even more can really help me.
- Highlight what jumps out at you.
- Write notes beside what you’re reading.
- Study the passages that have comforted you in the past with the amazing resources we have now with sites like Bible Hub and Bible Study Tools.
#3 – Reflect.
Work on figuring out why you feel the way you do. I’ve amazed myself many times with the clarity that comes by just writing it out. As I mentioned before, journaling can really help with that. Here are a few prompts to start:
- What’s distracting you? Your worries, abilities, interests . . .?
- What sin issue do you need to address?
- Describe the day you accepted Christ as Savior. How did you come to the decision and how did you feel afterward?
- Describe how it felt when you realized what God wanted you to do with your life.
#4 – Help someone.
Focus on the ones around you and how you might be able to help. Sometimes we find our own revelations or reminders in helping someone else.
If you’ve been a Christian long at all, I’m sure you’ve heard this story of Peter. And you’ve probably heard it in the same application I’ve used, but sometimes we don’t have to be profound. Sometimes it’s the simple that speaks to the heart.
I pray that’s what happens for us today as we remember that next time we question our sanity for walking the waves. We’re here because Jesus has called us.
It’s really that simple.
What do you do when you realize you’ve sunk? Let me know in the comments. I can’t wait to hear from you!
*** This post was revised from the archives. Check out the original here. ***
More reading
- When You Feel Like You’re Not Enough from HISsparrowBlog
- From Ears to Heart: 5 Tips for Being a Better Listener from HISsparrowBlog
- 4 Things I’m Learning from My Happiness Missteps from HISsparrowBlog
I frequently link up with the following: Grace & Truth with Embracing the Unexpected, Instaencouragements with Patsy and her crew, Let’s Have Coffee with Joanne Viola, and Blessing Bloggers with Deb Wolf.
Good advice. Another thing that helps me is thinking back through specific times when the Lord met a need or worked in my life in some way that was obviously only Him. I once read of making a list of those “Ebenezers” and looking back over them from time to time. They’re reminders that God really does see me and care about me, and that stirs my heart toward Him.
That’s an excellent tip, Barbara. I’ve heard of even making something that represents those times, like an alter. You can add notes to a jar or stones to a bowl—whatever. Thank you so much for reading and commenting!
Wow, these tips are fantastic! You’ve shared so many excellent resources to check out, and I can’t wait to dive in and try them. Thank you for your helpful advice—I’ve pinned all of your graphics to keep them handy.
And you know, I often find myself feeling overwhelmed before I even realize I’m sinking!
Oh, Maree! Don’t we all? I’m so glad you were encouraged. Thank you!
When a wave smacks us in the face it’s difficult not to let it capture our full attention. You provide great ways to get our focus back. We don’t wait until the waves subside. Praise music helps too.
Praise music is a great way change our focus, Debbie. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
Like so much of following God, “simple” does not imply easy, but nonetheless, it’s SO crucial to follow these four steps!
You’re right, Michele: simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. In fact, sometimes it seems like the simpler something is, the more we struggle with it, right? Thank you so much for reading!
Great tips Ashley, especially the one about helping someone else. What a joy to be the answer to someone else’s prayer when we are waiting for God on our own.
Yes, Donna, helping someone else sometimes is the best thing I can do. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Ashley, this is wonderful. So beautifully spoken and I love the resources you included.
Visiting today from Joanne’s
Thank you so much for reading, Paula!
Ashley, while this entire post was wonderful, it was #3 that stood out to me. “What’s distracting you? Your worries, abilities, interests . . .?” Yes! When I nail down the distractions, I realize how their aim is to get me off kilter. Once identified, they lose their ability to deter me from getting back on track.
Yes, the distractions are a big one for me too! Thanks so much for reading and commenting!