From Spiritual Rut to Revival: Embracing God’s Invitation in the Wilderness

Are you feeling complacent in your faith? Disengaged from relationship with God and the Church? Disinterested in spending time in Scripture while also fully trying to ignore the realization that you’re feeling spiritually dry and distant? 

This is a place I have come to recognize over the seasons of my faith journey. Growing up in a Christian home, I always knew what to say and how to act when it came to playing the part in a religious setting. But I also knew deep down that there was a strong taste of inauthenticity in my life. Later in life I have found myself in seasons of complacency when I gradually let go of the spiritual disciplines of prayer, reading Scripture and simply being present with God.

It always baffles me how long it can take for me to realize that I am in a spiritual rut. I could be in it for months, and completely oblivious until one day, it suddenly hits me in the face like a bag of bricks. It took me years of wrestling to begin to recognize that the spiritual wilderness is an invitation back into the solitude of the throne room. Away from the hustle of our times, an invitation to rest at the feet of Christ.

You may be experiencing a season of complacency when it comes to your faith, maybe doubting the truth of Scripture and even the existence of God. I want to encourage you that you are not alone in this wrestling. The wilderness is where we must learn to walk on our own, without asking for the opinions of people – we are positioned in a season of isolation for a purpose. God is still with us in this isolation. In fact, he is moving mountains that hinder us just to offer this invitation.

Will you accept God’s invitation to rest with him for a time? To re-evaluate the things in your life that may be drawing you further away from him. God doesn’t want you to be stuck living a distracted and complacent life. He has called you into his presence. Stop for moment. Take this time to offer up everything that has been holding you back from thriving in your relationship with Him.

This is an opportunity to take a spiritual inventory of yourself, sift through the things that are holding you back from being sold out for Jesus. Where are you spending most of your time? How are you showing up for Him? Are you committed to reading Scripture? Are you talking to Him? Have you neglected these things? Where are you harbouring resentment toward Him or the Church?

Surrender yourself into God’s hand, acknowledge his presence in this moment and allow him the space to show up. Repent of the areas where you have neglected to trust him. Follow his lead and when conviction comes, thank him for the opportunity to correct the course. He will help you wrestle through the darkest valley and celebrate with you when you make to the peak. Praise God!

“He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber.”

-Psalm 121:3