Lukewarm

If you’ve joined us via the Spiking a Temp devotion that is running at Proverbs 31 and Crosswalk, welcome! If you haven’t read the devotion yet, click here to do so.

I know at times in my walk with God I have felt completely lukewarm. During those periods, I am indifferent to reading the Bible. I make excuses for not spending time connecting with God. My passion for spiritual things wanes. I have no desire to talk to others about God or what He is doing in my life. Yep, lukewarm is a perfect word to describe my attitude at such times.

I’ve heard it said often that if you feel far away from God, you need only to ask yourself, “Who moved”; Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He doesn’t move. We wander away.

So, what is your current spiritual temperature? Take the short quiz below to find out.

Spiritual Temperature Test

1. I would describe my current relationship with God as:

a. Extremely close   b. fairly intimate    c. mediocre   d. distant

2. My attitude and actions toward reading the Bible each day are:

a. eager and consistent   b. interested and mostly regular   c. complacent and hit-or-miss   d. Bible? Can’t remember where I last put my Bible.

3. When I think of talking to others about God I:

a. get excited   b. think it is interesting– sometimes   c. am reluctant   d. would rather have a root canal!!!

4. As far as scripture memory goes, I:

a. have entire chapters and chunks memorized  b. have several verses I have worked on lately   c. can recall a few portions of scripture, but don’t know the references   d. Can recite John 3:16 in the King James Version. Does that count?

5. When I think of having a personal retreat all alone with God, I’d like to do that:

a. a couple times a year, I LOVE it!   b.  maybe once a year, for refreshment   c. I think I did that once and was bored   d. What? Are you kidding? No Internet or other people? Count me out!

6. I would honestly describe my prayer life as:

a. as close to “praying without ceasing” as I can get   b. I pray everyday at least once   c. I remember to pray a few times a week   d. I pray faithfully–in situations of stress or danger. Other than that, God knows where to find me.

7. When I ponder my spiritual life overall, I would say I am:

a. content with my progress and usually growing      b. somewhat satisfied but long to be closer to God       c. complacent with occasional spurts of growth      d. my spiritual life is a source of disappointment to me

Now, if you answered mostly “a”: You are totally sizzling; mostly “b”: Your spiritual fire is stoked and steady; mostly “c”: your fire has died down somewhat, but the embers are still glowing; mostly “d”: YIKES!!!! You are dangling dangerously near the dreaded LUKEWARM!! Time to take action!

I have found that when my fire dies down for God, it is time to take a break from the regular routine. Maybe you would benefit from doing the same. Here’s how: Grab a Bible, a notebook, an Ipod or MP3 with some good praise music on it and a classic book on prayer or the spiritual disciplines (my favs are Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George and Lord, I Want to Know You by Kay Arthur.)

Then, run, don’t walk, to a place to be alone. Pick a park. Discover an out-of-the-way coffee shop. Swap houses with a friend. Spring for a hotel room or night at a bed and breakfast if you can. The point is to rekindle your fire for God. Spend some time talking honestly with Him about your relationship. Don’t sugar coat things. He knows your thoughts already. Read. Ponder. Listen. Write. Sing. Walk. Rest. Repeat. Do it until you feel you are ready to go back to the daily days of your life.

Then, ask God to guide you to a friend who will keep you accountable. Beg Him to lead you to a sound Bible study group that will keep you consistent. Each morning, pour your heart out to Him about your lukewarmness and how much you desire NOT to be so.

Thankfully, our God’s mercies are new every morning. He never leaves, forsakes or moves. He is not fickle, as we humans are. He is waiting to meet with us each day.  If we will stop long enough to connect with Him.

If you desire to hit the restart button spiritually in your life, no matter where your spiritual temp is on the thermometer right now, you can. You won’t regret it. Leave us a comment letting us know your desire.

Praying for you and me both to leave lukewarm behind,

15 Comments

  1. We absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content available for you? I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write with regards to here. Again, awesome web log!

  2. Sweet Amy— (and all who have left comments)
    I am praying for God’s love to overtake you and for your love for Him to grow SO deep, that you will be so far from lukewarm in your spiritual walk. Cyber hugs to you all!!!!
    Karen

  3. Thank you so much for this devotional. As you can see I’m not reading it on the same day. I can’t seem to be consistent in anything I try to do spiritually. I have loved Jesus as long as I can remember. I was saved at 7, but I feel that I’m really not what I could be right now. I am reading another book that is helping me get it all in perspective and going to have a chapter on developing a quiet time. Please pray that I can be consistent with it. I get discouraged when I don’t stick with a goal I set. I feel that leads me to miss even more.

  4. WOW!! WOW!! WOW!!

    I needed this devo so badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thank you for your insights and for spurring me on!

    You have blessed me incredibly!!

    Have a wonderful day!

    Love,
    Tammy Nischan

  5. Sweet lady,

    Thank you for your devotion to encouraging women to devotion to God. Right now, I am feeling very hot, but I know that as soon as I think I’m standing, I’m in very real danger of falling. So while I’m still on fire, I’m going to take your advice and spend today with God, praying and asking for more of Him. Thank you for your devotion today. God bless you mightily!

    Suzi

  6. Hi Karen,
    Thank you for this. I’m with Janet, my answers were mostly b’s, but with a c in there, it made me aware that I’m not as fiery as I once was. Even as I took the quiz, I found myself explaining my answers to God, justifying myself to the One who already knows it all anyway. Praying for a renewed fire and zeal, that comes only from Him, not circumstances.
    See you at She Speaks next week!
    Debbie

  7. Loved this message, my answers were all over the board, mostly Bs, but enough of the other answers to trouble me, so I am going to find that retreat that gives me time alone with God. This weekend, I hope. I am going to be at the Ladies Retreat at Epworth in September, looking forward to meeting you.

  8. Karen, I had these luke warm thoughts just a couple of weeks ago. I had made a cold morning protein shake and thought I would have the wise idea to add some of my husband’s hot coffee. It was absolutely awful! It made me think of my relationship with Jesus. The thing that pushes me to lukewarmness is busyness; not carving out LARGE amount of time with Him. Devotions I can get in each day. It is the large amounts of time – being quiet before Him – that bring my heart back around to His.
    See you very sooon!!!!

  9. Myrlande–
    Thank you for your honest comment. I will be sure to pray for you. God smiles at your desire to grow closer to Him.
    Cyber hugs!!!
    Karen

  10. I’m sort of between the lukewarm stage and having a steady fire. Sometimes my desire to be closer to him is so strong it’s hurts. Please pray that I received a renewed fire and desire to be closer to my first Love. Thank you.

  11. Thanks for sharing this devotional. What a wake up call! It speaks where I am right now. Thanked God for His mercy is new everyday. Keep the fire burning for HIM!

  12. Karen, Thank you for your posting today. It is right where I am at and did not want to admit it. I need to rekindle the romance with my Heavenly Father and I no longer want to be luke warm. I praise Him that I found this today and am so thankful that I can finally admit it and now do something about it. Thank you again!

  13. Karen – Your devotional today was all God’s timing for me. My pastor preached on this very verse this past Sunday and I have been thinking a lot about how I can not be lukewarm. Then today, the P31 devotion ran. It is so neat how God works in people’s lives through others who have never met before. God is so good.

    In Him,
    AmyT

  14. I LOVED your devotional today. I feel that is me so many times, and I see it coming. It is when I have not spent time in God’s presence, when I have failed to allow Him to fill me up. It is only when I spend time with Him that I receive His passion, His LOVE, and a fresh filling of His Spirit. Thank you for reminding me to spend time in my “early morning coffee shop!!” with the Lord.

    Love you and see you soon!!

    Wendy

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