We’ve been talking about the importance of spending time with God and fixing our thoughts on Jesus which will help us be radiant. It sounds good, but what if you’ve been in a bit of a spiritual slump lately?
Maybe you’re not feeling motivated to be in the Word or you’re just inconsistent with it. Maybe you desire to spend time reading your Bible but are at a loss as to where to start. Maybe it’s been a really dry or desert-like season spiritually and you need some encouragement and ideas.
Right after our first son was born, I went through a very spiritually dry season. I was recovering from a C-Section and it was a brutal recovery. I didn’t go to church for several weeks. When I was at home, it seemed like every time I opened my Bible, the baby would cry. And those rare times when I was free to read my Bible, the sleep deprivation and new-mommy-brain combination kept me from being able to concentrate.
I wasn’t getting the spiritual nourishment I was used to and so desperately needed. I wish that I would have had one of the ideas I’m going to share with you here.
Ideas for getting out of a spiritual slump:
- Partner Up – if you lack motivation or consistency reading your Bible, find a friend to do it with you. Pick a short book of the Bible and agree to read a chapter throughout the week. Find a cute notebook and write down your observations and questions. Meet weekly at your favorite coffee shop to discuss what you read and to pray and fellowship with one another. You will be motivated to read each week because you won’t want to show up unprepared. I’ve been doing this with a friend for a couple of years and it’s been so fruitful.
- Reading Plan – if you don’t know where to start, you could do something like what my husband does. Each day, he reads 1-3 chapters in the Old Testament (starting in Genesis), 1-3 chapters in the New Testament (starting in Matthew), a Psalm and a Proverb. This will give you a really good panoramic view of the Bible. If you’re a big picture person, this might be for you. If you’re a detail-oriented person, try choosing a short book of the Bible in the New Testament such as James.
- Bible App – if you prefer to read your Bible on your phone or tablet, what about checking into a Bible app like YouVersion? They have all kinds of devotionals varying in length, by many different authors. They really have something for everyone.
- Audio Bible – if you have a commute, why not try listening to the Bible during that time? You can download an app called Audible and use that to listen to the Bible. It will help fix your thoughts on Jesus. I found it very helpful for that (and for calming my occasional road rage) 😉 when I had a long commute.
- Music – if you’ve been feeling down, need some encouragement or a little pick-me-up, what about simply turning on some Christian music? I know that always helps lifts my spirits and gets my thoughts on something spiritually oriented.
I know these ideas aren’t necessarily revolutionary and they may not be new ones to you. However, if you’ve been in a spiritual slump, I hope that you’ll consider trying one or more of them. If you do, would you share how it goes? You can comment below. I would love to hear about your experience!
If you have an idea for how to get out of a spiritual slump, I would love to hear that as well. I think we could all benefit from sharing ideas with one another. So leave a comment and we can all grow together! Let’s go be radiant!
Go Be Radiant 