Recovering your lost spiritual vitality

RECOVERING YOUR LOST SPIRITUAL VITALITY by Michael Larsen

(Here is a summary from the May 6 sermon preached at NUC: Reconnecting with God - Part 1)

It’s very easy to fall into a spiritual slump and go through spiritual dry spells when you don’t feel close to God, when your heart is cold, when you feel empty inside. Every one of us goes through these times when we feel disconnected with God or we’re not as close as we use to be to God.  You’ve lost the happiness, peace, and closeness that you felt to God.  

         There’s a story in the Bible in 2 Kings 6 aboutthe miracle of the lost ax head which has four spiritual truths on what to do when you’ve lost your cutting edge.  

1.  You admit you lost it.  

         How do you know when you’ve lost our cutting edge?  

         First,you start losing your love.  

Jesus said this in Revelation 2:4-5,“The love that you had at first is gone.  Remember how far you have fallen.  Return to Me and change the way you think and act and do what you did at first.”  

         Second, you start losing your faith 

2.  Acknowledge where you lost it.  

There are manyreasons that cause us to disconnect from God.  

         Distractions and busyness.  

         Disobedience

Resentment

         Relying on your own power and pride.  

         Carelessness or laziness.  

3.  Expect God to restore it.

There will be a requireddemonstration of faiththat says,  “I expect God to give this guy back what I lost.”  

         The point of the story is this: God specializes in doing the impossible.  

4.  Reach out and receive Him.

You have to do your part in coming back to God.  

If you’ve been distracted and disconnected from God, do these three things.

Remember.  

         Return.  

         Repeat.