If your Christian life has become stale and musty, it's time to remember what Christ has done for you and to ask that He restore your excitement."
-Charles Stanley
Stale: no longer fresh and pleasant to eat; hard, musty, or dry.
The last few weeks I have struggled with what I have come to know as the staleness of life. I've spent countless hours and long nights in a quandary about why I feel so stuck and stagnent. I feel like the days are all blending together and I wrestle with thoughts that I was made for more and to live abundantly. So why am I not moving? Have I done something wrong that God wants to keep me stuck here? Have done enough? Is this the "abundant life" Jesus speaks about in the Bible (John 10:10)? My life has gone stale and discouragement closes in on me gripping my mind, body and heart one inch at a time. Then the guilt surfaces with thoughts of feeling as though I'm ungrateful to God for all He has and is doing in my life. I shouldn't feel this way right? I mean, my life is millions of times better than others struggling in the world. But no matter how hard I try to rebuke it and push it down, it still lingers and continually whispers, "what next?" When I think of the word, "stale," I think of loaves of bread losing their freshness and ultimately being thrown out. That thought leads me to the bread of life in the Bible. What is the bread of life? It is as a source of spiritual nourishment.
"Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)
Just like in our Christian walk, if we don't properly nurture, cultivate and take care of it, it will become stale.
What are some things we can do when we feel a staleness in our lives?
Keep showing up: Often half the battle is showing up in our lives. Showing up when we don't feel like it makes it so that good and productive things are possible. If you don't show up for work, you don't get paid. If you don't show up for church or Bible study, you don't get prayer or spiritually fed.
Go and see something beautiful: On one of my rough days, a dear friend of mine told me that I needed to go and see something beautiful. It was so simple but made so much sense. We tend to minimize the immense power of beauty. Take a walk, go to a museum, just get out and find Gods beauty.
“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.” (Psalm 148:7-10)
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:12)
Check your tank: Are you running on empty? Some reasons you may be running on empty include lack of sleep, lack of nutrition, decreased prayer life or stress.
"Often, we ignore the fact that our spiritual condition and psychological state of mind are highly affected by what is happening to us physically. Sometimes depression is simply the result of exhaustion."
-Tony Campolo
Step outside your daily routine: Do something different, even if it is something small in your day. It freshens your day.
What's in your thought life: Your thoughts determine your feelings.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8)
Is God wanting you to get out of your comfort zone: Perhaps God is waiting for you to step out of your comfort zone and out on faith.
"I want to challenge you today to get out of your comfort zone. You have so much incredible potential on the inside. God has put gifts and talents in you that you probably don't know anything about."
-Joel Osteen
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