A Christian in a Spiritual Rut, Is It Possible?
I will never forget walking a place of what seemed “dry” and unmoving. I felt I was stuck in this quick sand, quickly, rapidly, drowning in quick sand. I could not understand how I got here or what happened. I tried to retrace my steps but found none. I cried and pleaded with the Lord to help. And there He was… reaching into the quick sand pit, reaching my hand to grab me out.
But how on earth did I get there? How is it that, all of a sudden I began to feel it? I didn’t feel it before. I didn’t see it coming. How the heck can I, a “good Christian girl,” a woman who loves God with all her being, get to this place?
I was embarrassed to admit it. Ashamed to admit it. Who else can relate? Who else has gone through this or know what I am talking about?
You don’t “feel” anything when you read the Word. You don’t get anything of what you read. You don’t feel “filled” like you would like. You feel rushed to hurry on to the next task and you quickly forget what you read.
You don’t “feel” the need to move while worshiping nor do you “feel” this connection that you once had.
You dread waking up early because early mornings are not your favorite and you go straight to that hot cup of coffee that is screaming your name. You gather your things, turn on the lamps, yawn, and yawn once again, crack open the Bible, and there you have it…. You begin.
Then there’s days you miss and you think, “it’s just today.”
Then another day, “I’m too tired to pray I will pray in the morning. I’m exhausted.”
And by the time you know it… another day comes and you find yourself saying, “I just want to sit and watch a movie and relax. Or I’m going to just scroll and see what I missed.”
Friend, I don’t share all of this out of pity or guilt or shame. I was once there. But I am ever so thankful for the grace and mercy the Lord had on me to pull me out of that spiritual rut I was once in. A spiritual rut I knew nothing of, nor did I know it was actually real. But oh friend it sure is real and hardly ever spoken of. I see many walking in stagnancy. I see many not moving because they are stuck in a spiritual rut. Do they know it? Probably not. Can you get out of it? Absolutely! With Christ’ help He can get you out of it.
Let me first start off by saying, this article isn’t to bring you guilt but rather, to bring you insight on any and all areas in your life that need light. Without Jesus’ light, how can we know we are stuck and are in need of His grace and mercy?
The spiritual rut doesn’t happen suddenly. But overtime. One missed day with the Lord here. One missed prayer there. One missed Bible reading here. And one day of not praying there. Feeling rushed busy and no time well spent with the Lord. It begins slowly and hits abruptly. We then find ourselves in this spiritual rut, this drought that has us in these feelings of trying to sit and hear but we can’t.
Being in a spiritual rut leaves you to not want to open up your Bible or even pray. It will leave you in a mood not worshiping and rather feeling so dry you just can’t get out of it. It will even leave you to feel so depleted. You will move but spiritually, you are stuck.
To add friend, this doesn’t make you any less of a Christian or less of someone who loves Jesus. Rather, its a spiritual battle taking place in the spiritual realm you do not see.
The spiritual rut is a place of getting your heart back in alignment with the Lord, repenting of any and all sin the Lord lights up in your life, and to clear the pathway of any and all hinderances blocking you from hearing from the Lord. The Lord could be moving you into a new place of hearing him rather than having a routine that became just that. A routine rather than a relationship built.
So how can we get out of this spiritual rut?
First, we need to invite the Holy Spirit in and ask Abba Father for wisdom guidance and help. James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” God is fully able to give us the wisdom we need, He is generous to give us the divine wisdom from heaven. But we must come and ask Him for help in need of our situation we are in. We have to admit that we are in this off place and are in need of His light, in need of Jesus to pick us up out of this stagnant place. It’s only by Abba Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit that can guide us out of it.
Secondly, we never go by feeling. Our feelings are fleeting and never lead to truth, but rather, the opposite. So rather than letting our feelings dictate to binge watch TV, to eat a big bowl of ice cream, or to scroll endlessly on social media, you must overcome that feeling and begin to sit in Jesus’ presence. Invite Him and the Holy Spirit in. Share with him what you are feeling. Admit and repent of any and all sins he brings to light.
Thirdly, open up your Bible anyway. Even if you feel like not reading, open it anyway. If we can scroll minutes, even hours, at a time a day, (don’t believe me, look at your app’s usage the time you have been on it the previous day and days before), why can’t we find ourselves to flip open that bible and allow the Word of God to dwell in us richly? When we open up the Word, when we pray before reading, we are allowing the Word of God to speak to us. Colossians 3:16 tells us, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Fourthly, surround yourselves with like-minded followers of Christ who can help point you back to Christ and help you out of this spiritual rut. Ones who can speak bold biblical truth and be a grace filled friend. One who is able to pray alongside you. There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 tells us this, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Fifthly, protect your time with the Lord. It is nourishing, vital and our whole life depends on God. Jesus is our bread of life (John 6:35), and the well our souls thirst and drink from (John 4:14). Our breath is a gift given from the Lord. He sent His Son to die a crucial death on the cross so that we may have life, and have it abundantly (John 3:16-21). Protect your relationship with Jesus. There is one who comes to steal kill and destroy (John 10:10). The enemy hates each time we meet with our Lord and build our relationship with Him (Jesus). So he will do all he can to distract and disturb our time with Jesus.
As we learn to keep pressing on, keep meeting with the Lord first thing before the world, as we keep growing and pursuing in the Lord, we begin to feel His peace and presence come through.
Break through the cycle of being in the spiritual rut by protecting your time with Him. It isn’t “religious” when we place Him first before the world never missing a day. It’s a relationship built that we adore and love. We look forward to being with Him daily never looking to it as a “task.”
And friend, I want you to know, you are not alone nor did you do anything wrong. It happens at least once in a Christians life. No matter how “good” or “perfect” they may look.
Being in that place God has taught me that He can use it to draw our heart closer to His. To use it by showing us our deep need of Him daily. Keeping Him at the center of our hearts, at the forefront of our mind. A deep reverent love we have for Him. Just as Jesus would leave the disciples to be with the Father alone, Jesus sets that example for us too friend. Showing our deep need of Abba Father and our Savior daily.
This is a way of Him showing you and saying to you, “daughter, come, let us be together and let me show you how to overcome this spiritual rut the enemy wants you enslaved in. Let me break you free from it and give you my bread, the satisfying, soul filling bread I offer. Come daughter, and let me speak tenderly to you in this place.”
There are indeed other brothers and sisters in Christ who have walked this road. Some once, and some more than once. But God has pulled them through it and He will do the same for you. Keep coming to His Word. It will refresh your soul.
To be more encouraged, read last weeks blog: “When You Feel Spiritually Dry” by Nicole. There you will find scripture, tips, and furthermore of defeating the spiritual rut “dry” places.
My Prayer for You
Abba Father, we thank you for the times well spent with you. We thank you for the journeys you lead us on and thorough. We thank you Jesus for always being the light and paving the way for the road on which we are to take. Father, I ask today that you fill us up all the more everyday that we are with you. We need you immensely as you are the sustaining bread of life. Help us protect our time with you for it means more to us than anything this world has to offer. Show us how to protect our time with you and show us how you’d like our time together to be. Remove us from this place of spiritual rut of dryness and instead give us the life giving water, you Jesus. Quench our thirst, feed our hunger with more of you. I dispel any and all plans of the enemy that wants to block us from being with you to be bound in hell in Jesus name. He will no longer have his way but rather, we will choose the way, you Jesus. Reveal to us any all sin in our hearts whether knowingly or unknowingly so we can bring it to you Jesus and repent. Forgive us for the sins and help us to stay planted and rooted in you. Help us to remain in you, abide in you, dwell and delve in you. Our heart yearns for you and you alone. In Jesus name, amen.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Nicole is a devoted follower of Christ, wife to Leroy in whom they have 6 beautiful children, four daughters and twin miracle boys. She loves the sounds of nature, her sweet Texas living, all things gardening, and making friends. She loves to help other women know the love of Christ and become the deeply rooted woman in Christ who walks in His ways through all that they faces. You can connect with her on instagram: @lifewiththismom.