As Christians, we should be on fire for the Lord, and our desire to worship Him should be so strong that nothing compares to it. What happens when that fire burns out though? What are you to do when your devotion to Him suddenly feels like a dwindling flame?
In the fallen world that we live in, it’s easy to become caught up in the things we desire, the activities we have to do, the chores we have to get done, and the people we have to talk to. We get focused on how busy our lives our, that eventually following Jesus becomes more of a chore than an actual desire. Jesus becomes the God we’re “supposed” to serve, rather than someone we genuinely love and want to obey. Our faith falls to off to the side, and you stop giving Jesus the attention He deserves from you.
The good thing for believers is that God’s love for us never changes (Deuteronomy 7:9). It never diminishes; it never goes away (Psalm 37:28). If you have lost your spark with Jesus Christ, know that it's easy to fall right back in love. When you pause to understand why your faith has struggled, and make an action plan on how to get back into the faith, you will soon find yourself a stronger Christian than ever before.
Ask Yourself Why You Dropped Off in Faith
Our relationship with God is a lot like a marriage or dating relationship. In the beginning you’re on this spiritual high with all these spiritual endorphins shooting through your heart and mind, but after some time the high goes away. You then have to make the conscious effort to put in the work that mature the relationship, and make sure it lasts. When you stop putting in the work, you are less likely to have a successful relationship.
Look at your day to day life and start identifying where you are choosing to leave God out. Have you stopped going to church as often? Have you begun to hang out with others that live a life without Christ? Did a tragedy happen and you felt like God wasn't there for you? There could be a million reasons why you stopped focusing on your faith, but you won't be able to strengthen it again if you don't get to the root of the problem.
Remind Yourself All He Has Done For You
The best thing you can do to revive your relationship with God is to remember the very reason you first started following Him. You first fell in love with God because Christ died on the cross so that all your sins could be forgiven and you could have a forever relationship with Him, not to mention His grace and His promises. (Rom.5:17;6:4).When you remind yourself of all the amazing gifts Jesus has blessed you with, it inspires such a positive feeling. Observing creation in itself is an amazing reminder of God’s gift of nature, food, and life. Scripture will help remind you of the many things He did for you before you were even born.
Even today, you have reason to thank Jesus. Think of His amazing forgiveness, His protection, His plan for you, His love for you and His promise to you. These are all things that Jesus is doing for you right now. He has your back. Jesus will never let you go, so fall in love with His love for you, and your love for Him will surely grow stronger.
Spend Time With Jesus
Get to really know Jesus Christ. You might think you already know Him inside and out, but force yourself to learn more about Him again anyways. When you are not feeling passionate about your faith, it might be hard to want to spend time with Jesus. The only way to nurture and grow a relationship though is by putting in some effort. Over time, you won't feel like you are forcing yourself to spend time with Him, but rather you will look forward to it.
Go back to the beginning when you were first falling in love with Him: what did you do? You read His Word constantly, you were always talking to Him, you were just getting to know Him. Prayer and meditation are two great ways to spend time with God because they afford you the opportunity to come to know Him more. Reading scripture and attending church are important ways to spend time with God. When spending time with Him, remember to pause and wait silently for His responses. They may not come right away, but keep your eyes peeled for signs.
Surround Yourself With Other Christians
When you surround yourself with others who love Jesus, shared emotions of love are strengthened. The feeling is inspiring, empowering and overwhelming. When you share the feelings of others who are already wholeheartedly devoted to Him, you want that feeling also. It motivates you to want to build that stronger bond with Jesus. You can do this through church, Bible studies, and mission trips. Even going out to lunch with a trusted Christian friend can help push you in the right direction. Don't be afraid to share that you have been having doubts with your faith. They may be able to give you helpful pointers and tips and how you can fall back in love again that you haven't thought of yet.
Revitalizing your faith is easy if you are willing to put in the work. The fact that you want to have a stronger relationship with Christ is a great first step. Dig deeper and spend time with Jesus more often, and next thing you know you will be in love all over again. Don’t get discouraged, Jesus is walking next to you each part of the way.
