How To Overcome Spiritual Stagnation

Do I have a desire for God? Do I have a burning yearning for God that is growing? Do I want to get to know him better and serve him completely?

Is God's Word governing me more and more? Is it true that I submit to God's Word? Even the parts I don't care for? For example, when Jesus says, “You've probably heard the phrase, “Love your friend and hate your adversary.” But I urge you to love your foes and pray for those who persecute you.”

Am I becoming more loving? Is it true that I'm more loving today than I was before? Is it possible for me to be more loving to my spouse, children, workplace, and neighbors?

Am I aware of God's presence and guidance? When I'm presented with a difficult decision—which school should I attend? Which job are you looking for? Is it time for me to get married? Is it time to call it quits on this relationship? —do I find myself halting and paying close attention to the Spirit's leading?

Do I find myself becoming increasingly concerned about the needs of others? Do I think of others on a regular basis? Do I give to gospel ministry on a regular, systematic basis?

Do I enjoy going to church? Is it true that I adore or despise the church? The church is referred to by Jesus as his bride. He safeguards the church. Loves going to church. In the church, there are many delights. Shouldn't I be doing something else?

Are my faith habits becoming more essential to me? Do I place a high value on studying God's Word, praying, and participating in corporate worship?

Do I remorse for my sin? Is it true that my sin bothers me? What makes me so proud? What is the source of my impurity? My deception?

Is it true that I'm a quicker forgiver? Do I prone to carry a grudge when someone wrongs me? Is it because of my pride that I am hesitant to forgive: “They have no right to do that to me. “Do they have no idea who I am?”

Do I yearn for paradise and Jesus' presence? Or am I so engrossed in the things of this world that I never consider being present with Christ?

Let's say you're not happy with your progress after asking yourself these questions. You believe you've reached a stalemate in your spiritual development. Now that you've discovered the issue, you must ask yourself, “Why?” Why have I reached a stalemate in my spiritual development? Paul suggests two possible causes of stagnation in Philippians 2:12-13.

The first is a conceited sense of self-sufficiency. We have a tendency to believe that spiritual development is solely our responsibility “God, I've got this handled. This is where you can sit on the bench. Every conference will be attended by me. Every podcast will be listened to by me. Every book will be read by me. I'll pay close attention to every talk so that I may correct everyone's thinking and ensure that they improve as much as I have.” Examining your prayer habit is the simplest method to discover proud self-sufficiency in oneself. Self-sufficient persons have a hard time with prayer's silence and stillness. They believe, “I don't do anything when I pray.” Prayer appears to them to be a waste of time; it is too passive.

This leads us to another potential source of stagnation: inactive spirituality. We have a tendency to believe that spiritual development is solely God's responsibility. “You've got this covered, God. On this one, I'll take the bench. I'm just going to sit in my pew. I'll just have to wait for you to get back to work. “All I have to do now is trust.” Examining your prayer routine is the easiest method to discover passive spirituality in oneself. Praying is rarely done by a proud person. The passive person usually only prays. When was the last time you read the Bible? Have you really looked into it? Spirituality that is passive responds, “For a long time, no. But I'm hoping for a change in my life from God. “I have faith in him.” When was the last time you talked about Jesus with an unbeliever? Spirituality that is passive responds, “Oh, no, I'm not like that. But I'm hoping for someone to tell my friend about Jesus. “I'm putting my faith in God.”

Stasis and frustration are the outcomes of both prideful self-sufficiency and passive spirituality. So, where do we go from here? What's the best way to get us moving again? We must recognize that spiritual progress is not just our responsibility, nor is it solely God's. It entails yielding to God, partnering with him, and taking part in his purpose. We progress in our spiritual formation by demonstrating dependent discipline, not by handling everything ourselves or by handing everything over to God. The only path ahead is through Spirit-enabled human effort. We fight with the strength that God has given us. Our zealous pursuit is solidly rooted in God's might. We “work out,” as Paul puts it, while God “works within.”

Two passages in the Bible clearly demonstrate this principle. We read in Nehemiah 4:9, “And we prayed to our God and set up a guard to safeguard us from them at all hours of the day and night.” Nehemiah was an outstanding leader. His mission was to lead God's people in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall. This was a significant task, and Nehemiah is expecting to be assaulted at this point in the story. What was his reaction? He prayed and positioned himself like a guard. Nehemiah didn't leave God out of the equation, and he didn't act as if everything was in his hands. He also didn't pray with a passive spirituality that doesn't plan or work. He prayed and positioned himself like a guard. He prayed for peace while while preparing for battle.

Similarly, Paul tells his colleague Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:7, “Consider what I'm saying, for the Lord will make everything clear to you.” So, Paul, which one do you think it is? Is Timothy supposed to study, meditate, and concentrate? Or will Timothy be blessed with the gift of discernment from God? Both! Paul doesn't say anything about it “Timothy, all you need is your genius and intellect. “You'll figure it out on your own,” says the narrator. He also doesn't say, “Just wait for God to zap you with a bolt of wisdom, Timothy.” Rather, Paul claims, “Consider your options carefully. Your mind's sleeves should be rolled up. And trust on the Lord to give you wisdom in all things.”

Perhaps you've become stuck in your spiritual development because you've been attempting to do everything in your pride. Or maybe you've stagnated because you've been expecting God to do everything because you've been lazy and thoughtless. The path forward is dependent discipline. Work and faith go hand in hand. Human endeavor fueled by the Holy Spirit. Strive with the strength that God has given you. Begin a new, intense pursuit based on his strength.

What's the cause of spiritual stagnation?

I'm not sure I'd be able to tell you what it is, but I know what it is when I see it. I've seen it in folks who, although going to church, have ceased gathering with other believers on a regular basis. They simply aren't a member of the group, don't participate, and remain stagnant.

I've seen people who have just given up attempting to learn stagnate. They either believe they know everything or simply do not want to learn more. People seek the mountain top experience and fail to appreciate the simple day-to-day growth, which eventually aggregates higher than any single event since day-to-day learning never ends.

It occurs when people believe that there are more essential things to do than participate in God's church. Many parents believe that having their child participate in a Sunday sport is more important, even if it will only endure till they are a teenager or graduate high school, whereas learning to be with God will last for the rest of their lives.

It can happen when people are confronted with an issue and simply give up because they are overwhelmed. But they always come to a halt.

Most essential, we must realize that God is trying to keep us alive and flourishing through his Holy Spirit. We grow as a result of the time we spend in his word as he educates us. We develop and mature as we follow him to those moments with other believers where we share together, learning that faith isn't just about us, but also about others. We grow as God leads us to practice the art of loving others via our hands-on work. The main thing is to understand what stagnation is and how to avoid it.

There are two types of death in the Christian faith. One type will result in death. The other form of death results in rebirth.

When the Apostle Paul said, “… if by the Spirit you put to die the crimes of the body, you will live,” he was referring to the dying that leads to life (Romans 8:13). Sin death produces life!

When Jesus spoke of his own death and the spiritual community that would develop from his resurrection, he used the phrase “death that leads to life.” “A grain of wheat will remain a single seed unless it falls into the ground and ‘dies.'” If it dies, however, it generates a large number of seeds” (John 12:21).

The form of dying that leads to death is spiritual stagnation. The prophet Zephaniah described spiritually comfortable people as being like stale wine, indifferent to God and unmoved by pain (Zephaniah 1:12). Spiritual vitality is restored through purposeful rest and recovery, yet spiritual stagnation occurs when a person is lazy, disinterested, or purposeless. The spiritually stagnant, according to Zephaniah, are people who don't care because they believe God doesn't care.

When water collects and stops moving, it becomes stagnant. When people isolate themselves from God and stop responding to the needs of others, they become stagnant.

Spiritual self-absorption leads to spiritual stagnation. It results from no longer being moved by the pain of others. A selfish individual is suffocating himself. Action suffocates inaction. That's when spiritual disease and decay begin.

When I was in college, I had a profound, life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for several wonderful men who came beside me and taught me to never “pool,” but to keep flowing closer to the God whose image mankind wears.

How do you break stagnation?

Stagnation occurs when nothing excites you enough to motivate you to take action. It's not unexpected if you're feeling stagnation if you don't have a habit of establishing objectives and instead prefer to focus on the daily grind.

What would you do if there were no constraints? What would you choose if you could have anything you wanted? The answers to these questions will give you the fuel you need to keep moving forward.

However, even if you are a seasoned goal-setter, there will be moments when the goals you set in the past no longer appeal to you. It's quite natural, and it happens to me as well. We can lose sight of our goals when we are in a different emotional state than when we originally set them. Our priorities shift from time to time, and we no longer desire to focus on those objectives. However, we are not aware of this, and as a result, we delay on our goals until they become a significant problem.

How do you fight spiritual fatigue?

To learn how to overcome spiritual weariness, we must first acknowledge that we are struggling and that spiritual fatigue is a real issue that will not go away on its own.

Pray

Is your prayer life in need of some polishing? Do you find it difficult to converse with God? Are you explicitly praying for the issue that is bothering you? Prayer is nothing more than communicating to God and cultivating a growing connection with Him. We might pray to Him and tell Him that we are spiritually exhausted. We can seek His counsel as well as the comfort of His love and serenity.

Read the Bible and Other Christian Inspiration

There are numerous methods and strategies for reading the Bible. There are no wrong methods to open God's word and listen to what He has to say. When we're working to overcome spiritual exhaustion, however, it's helpful to be extremely deliberate in seeking out text that speaks to us right where we are.

Talk to a Spiritual Mentor or Trusted Friends

It's all too simple to talk about our feelings to anyone who will listen. It feels great to get stuff off my chest! However, if we are experiencing spiritual exhaustion, we should discuss our sentiments with someone we can trust who can mentor us and guide us back to Jesus. I have a friend who is unaware of how much she has influenced me. I've phoned her when I'm stuck because she's been there before me in many circumstances. When we share with trusted friends, we are encouraged by hearing how God provided for them when they were spiritually exhausted.

Attend a Retreat

I went on an eight-hour silent retreat many years ago. I was hesitant because it had been such a long time since I had been unable to talk! I signed up because I was starting to feel a sense of spiritual fatigue in my spirit. That one-day retreat was a lifesaver, allowing me to reconnect with God and rediscover my purpose.

Celebrate Small Victories

We may need to adopt new patterns and activities when we are spiritually depleted. We may feel relieved for a time or a day, but when our fatigue returns, we become discouraged. We might learn to worship God in the present moment and restart each day until we achieve spiritual victory. When we celebrate God's kindness and mercy one step at a time, spiritual healing occurs.

“The highest level of worship is praising God in the midst of suffering, thanking Him during a trial, believing Him while tempted, yielding while suffering, and loving Him when He appears distant.”

How can I regain my spiritual strength?

When trying to put all eight aspects of wellness together, the spiritual aspect of wellness can be the most individualized piece of the puzzle. People, on the whole, like to live lives that have meaning and purpose. When these objectives are attained, it brings peace into one's life and the lives of those around them.

So, what are some things you may do to increase your spiritual well-being? It's best to experiment with several ways to see what works best for you. Spiritual wellbeing can be reached in a variety of ways, both physically and intellectually, because it involves one's values, beliefs, and purpose.

1. Examine your spiritual foundation. You are merely asking yourself questions about who you are and what you mean when you explore your spiritual essence. Consider the following question: “Who am I?” What is the point of my existence? What am I most passionate about? These questions will lead you down a path where you will think more deeply about yourself and recognize aspects of yourself that will assist you in achieving fulfillment.

2. Search for hidden meanings. Looking for deeper meanings and examining patterns in your life will help you realize that you have power over your future. Knowing this can help you live a happier and healthier life.

3. Get it off your chest. It will be easier to retain a concentrated mind if you express what is on your mind. You may feel befuddled and unable to make sense of your feelings after a long day or an important event. You may be able to think more clearly and move forward if you write down your thoughts.

4. Give yoga a shot. Yoga is a physical discipline that can help you achieve spiritual wellness by eliminating mental and physical stress. Yoga is taught at all levels and can help relieve anxiety, sadness, weariness, and sleeplessness as well as reducing stress, strengthen the immune system, and lower blood pressure.

5. Take a trip. Yes, it is correct! Taking time for yourself to travel to a familiar location or to a new location can do wonders for your mental health. You will have a greater connection with yourself when your mind is able to block out distractions and assist you in reflecting and resting. This allows you to eliminate stressors and retrain your mind to focus on total wellness. Exercising, visiting with a counselor or advisor, meditation, or taking a temporary vow of silence are all activities that can be done while on a trip.

6. Keep an optimistic attitude. You will find yourself thinking differently and shifting your mind to a happy, healthy place once you begin to view things in your life in a good light. You'll discover that you're more comfortable when you eliminate negativity and re-frame how you think about specific things and situations.

7. Set aside some time to meditate. While managing your time and everyday tasks can be difficult, it is critical to make time for yourself. Take five to ten minutes each day to meditate, whether it's first thing in the morning, during your lunch break, or right before bedtime. By incorporating meditation and relaxation into your daily routine, you will be able to clear your mind and strengthen your connection to your spiritual well-being.

Source: http://student-affairs.illinoisstate.edu/health-promotion-and-wellness/7-ways-improve-spiritual-wellness/

What are some of the signs of stagnation?

Stagnation in my life took the shape of not receiving a scholarship to further my education. It may manifest itself in your life as a sense of immobility or a lack of closeness and growth in your relationship. Nothing will ever excite you enough to make you act. You're caught in a never-ending cycle of monotonous everyday tasks and a paralyzing fear of becoming locked in a rut.

Simply speaking, stagnation is a lack of progress and development. There are signals to check for even if there isn't a comprehensive scale for gauging stagnation, such as:

• For comfort, people turn to sleep, entertainment, and other thoughtless activities.

Stagnation in your life is frequently a symptom of underlying problems. Taking care of those concerns can assist you in getting back on track. It won't happen immediately, but you can get out of your rut one step at a time.

What causes stagnancy in life?

Stagnation occurs when there is nothing in your life that encourages you to take consistent actions toward it. When you take on too many things that aren't natural to you, you become exhausted. Your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, your self-esteem plummets, and you never feel good enough.

Is Stagnant an emotion?

I didn't recognize the symptoms that we all had at first. Friends confided in me that they were having problems focusing. Even with vaccines on the horizon, colleagues said they weren't looking forward to 2021. Even though she knew the movie by heart, a family member stayed up late to see “National Treasure” again. Instead of getting out of bed at 6 a.m., I stayed in bed until 7 a.m., playing Words with Friends.

We weren't exhausted; we still had energy. We weren't depressed; we weren't hopeless. We just felt a little aimless and joyless. It turns out that this is known as languishing.

Languishing is a feeling of emptiness and immobility. It's as if you're stumbling through your days, peering through a foggy windshield at your life. And it's possible that it'll be the dominant feeling in 2021.

Many people are dealing with the emotional long-haul of the epidemic as scientists and clinicians strive to treat and cure the physical symptoms of long-haul Covid. As the overwhelming dread and grief of the previous year receded, it caught some of us off guard.

What does social stagnation mean?

Stagnation is characterized by high unemployment and underemployment, as well as an economy that is underperforming its potential. Stagnation can occur for a short time or for a long time, and it can be caused by a variety of economic and social causes.

What are the stages of spiritual awakening?

The hero's journey, an evolutionary process of growth and transformation woven into all great myths and stories, was outlined by renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell: “A genuinely heroic shift of awareness occurs when we stop worrying about ourselves and our own self-preservation.”

The primary pushing off point for any hero's quest is known as the call to adventure. The call to adventure is a break from regular life, a signal that comes from deep inside, grabs your attention, and drives you in a new direction. The spark that sets off a spiritual awakening is a call to adventure. Every life has a moment that, if grasped, will change it forever. The call to adventure is a reawakening experience, a shift in perspective that forces you to reconsider your perspective on life. A travel to a strange location, the loss of innocence, an illness, a challenge, the death of a close friend, a near-death experience, or the loss of a job are all examples of spiritual experiences. Regardless of the specifics, the experience alters your perspective and causes you to see the world through fresh eyes. You've been given the task of living an ordinary life in an extraordinary way.

At this critical juncture, Joseph Campbell advises that you must choose whether or not to accept the call to adventure. In truth, though, ignoring the call isn't an option because your soul is inviting you to change on a deeper level. If you ignore the call, the opportunity will recycle itself like a skip on a record, patiently waiting for you to embrace the call to a new existence, thanks to your unique karmic influences. Furthermore, there is no going back once a transforming and deeply waking incident has occurred. Your eyes have been opened, and no matter how much you try to reject it, you can't turn away from the image of a greater reality calling to you.

You enter a broader universe once you've answered the call to adventure. You take an active role in your spiritual development and advancement. As you begin to manage your life toward chances that enhance your knowledge, responsibility becomes the operative word. Everything feels the same and weirdly different at the same time, thanks to a tiny alteration in perspective.