Summer heat tends to run parallel to a season of spiritual dryness in my life. Around this time last year, I was questioning whether I really held the Christian faith or just claimed to believe out of fear for what my life would become if I walked away. A simple visit to the Creation Museum in Kentucky refreshed my spirit. Seeing the great beauty and truth of God's Word as well as experiencing the story of salvation rekindled the joy I found in my faith.
This summer, I was beginning to notice what I would call spiritual apathy. I knew I was a Christian, but I found that I wasn't as drawn to certain things I used to love: solid Christian music and daily Bible reading for instance. I would settle for some spiritually-light Christian pop music or even secular music as a regular listening diet. Squeezing in a single-page read from a devotional at the end of the day "counted" as my time near the Word, if not in the Word, for the day. Those things were not wrong in themselves; I just didn't know what I was missing.
Unlike last summer, this summer's dryness didn't require a special trip. When a family member recommended listening to a Q&A session from the Shepherd's Conference that took place back in March, I decided to listen. I was encouraged by the tidbits of simple truth spoken by those Christian men. Though I can't remember the exact connection, something occurred in me after I listened that inspired me to read my Bible. To read it every day. To not put it down until I'd read so much that I forgot about why I wanted to put it down and no longer wanted to put it down. To do so whether I felt like picking it up in the first place or not.
Now, I'm not trying to paint myself as some special saint, but I've noticed a pattern: my spiritual dryness usually resolves by spending time soaking in the stories and truth from God's Word. This is neither a shocking realization nor a coincidence. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." It is also worth mentioning the words of Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
Notice what these verses say: the scriptures are always relevant. They are extremely useful for growth in godliness. They come from God Himself and thus, have authority over us. Yet, we struggle to incorporate the study of scripture into our lives. I am guilty of neglecting to read the Word of God because I just didn't feel like it.
I want to encourage you to pick up the Sword. When you hear that voice in your head telling you, "You can get to it later, you have more important things to do now. Besides, you don't really feel like reading the Bible right now, so it won't be as effective of a study," friends, that's exactly when we need to start reading the Bible. Don't wait until you feel like doing it. Read it, and keep reading it.
If you're experiencing some spiritual dryness with the summer's heat, remember that renewing joy in the Lord doesn't require special trips, conferences, speeches, or sermons. Those things might be enjoyable, but ultimately, it is the Word of God that will pierce our hearts and change us. I would like to leave you with the exhortation of Paul in Ephesians 6:16-18, "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication."
Image credit: J. S. Clingman from Pixabay