There is nothing quite like that sense of excitement on January 1st when you sit down with the 37 Days of Prayer devotional and open it up for the first time. Not only are you personally doing it at home or online, but you are also joining the corporate Church in pursuit of what God is saying for the year ahead. The people sitting around you on Sunday mornings are also fasting and praying, seeking after God for their lives, families, work, and so much more. There is really nothing quite like it!
Eventually, the series passes, though, and we wake up on day thirty-eight thinking, “Now what?” I want to give you three pieces of advice and encouragement as you step out of this high-pressure spiritual zone and back into typical routines that will help you continue to cultivate spiritual growth throughout the year.
- Spiritual growth has seasons. Do not be surprised when it changes.
Every season of weather has its purpose. The cycle of seasons is vital to life because each one contributes to the flourishing of the next. Spiritual seasons are the same. We will not always be in a season of growth where new wisdom and understanding are springing up. Eventually, that will transition into a season of summer where we are putting to use the things we learned, which will segue into a season of cooling and rest. I know we often have our favorite seasons, and all we think about is how we cannot wait to get done with where we are now in order to get to what is next. But always wishing we were in another season means that we might miss out on the beauty of this one right now. Whatever season the Lord has you in, there is purpose in it. Embrace it!
- Motivation is a fair-weather friend. Rise above it.
There is a lie the enemy will whisper in our ear that sounds something like this: “You are not as spiritual as they are because you do not enjoy reading the Bible as much as they do. They want to do this whereas you have to make yourself do it.” Waning motivation to pray, be in community, go to church, read the Bible, or serve others is not a sign of a lack of spirituality–it is a sign that you are a human and you are alive. Reject the spirit of shame that tries to tell you there is something wrong with you for not feeling as excited about spiritual things as you feel you “should.” Remember Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (ESV). Jesus is giving us permission to feel tired, unmotivated, or weary, and to come to Him just as we are. We can rise above our feelings knowing that we will never regret making the right choice, even if we do not feel like it at the moment.
- Focus on the outcome of your goals, not the effort.
There is no getting to where we want to be without passing through where we are right now. However, the journey will be significantly easier if we spend all of our time focusing on the outcome rather than the effort we feel right now. When I was pregnant with my son, my husband and I took a Bradley Method class that is supposed to help prepare you for labor. Our instructor spent a significant amount of time mentally preparing us to embrace the pain of labor rather than resist it. Resisting the contractions could prolong the effort while leaning into them could allow my body to work more effectively through each one. It is a principle I have learned applies to all of life: focusing on the pain of the effort leads to a failure of heart, but focusing on the outcome gives us the ability to endure through even the greatest difficulties. Find your focus, and press on!