When the spiritual high wears off

[jacko]

I’m wondering if anybody has felt this? Like whether it’s the first time you come to Jesus or you re-dedicating yourself or you just come back from a church retreat and you just like on fire for the Lord and you want to make a difference and reading the Bible hours and hours a day and you’re praying hours and hours a day, but slowly the reality of the broken world hits you in the face and things aren’t changing the way you thought they would.

 

[jacko]

Perhaps you do need to “pace” yourself.. as @Eli1 stated.

 

[shittim]

Salvation, as great as it is, and purchased at such a great cost, is just the start, many or most stop and rest there.
His command was to heal, raise, cleanse, etc.
blessings

 

[jacko]

Salvation, as great as it is, and purchased at such a great cost, is just the start, many or most stop and rest there.
His command was to heal, raise, cleanse, etc.
blessings

Back I the day,, 30 years ago, when I actually had a few Christian friends…I saw that they lived just as the pagans do, but would just show up to Church on Sundays.

 

[enril]

you keep on struggling. push on.
get depressed. tyr harder, pray.

 

[Subhumanoidal]

I used to experience this a lot in my charismatic days. Since I've left those behind I've not had all the dramatic highs and lows.
I think often times it's easy to get caught up in things when you're in a group.
It reminds me of people in rehab. They spends weeks or months in a supportive environment, lots of people around to talk to or cheer you up. They're locked away from the rest of the world, away from people who will tear them down, push them to drink or do drugs, etc...
Many may feel confident than can maintain when they leave rehab, but once they're back in the real world, it's much harder.
The temptations are real, the pressure, the lack of support and encouragement, etc... can tear down any enthusiam they had, quickly.
I think it's similar for Christians in like environments. But under the guise that it's spiritual.

I will say that first getting saved is an exception. I remember first getting saved and I felt like I was seeing the world through new eyes. Feeling new things. Like a veil was lifted. But within a year it all had worn off.
And I think that's pretty normal.

 

[Lynx]

I’m wondering if anybody has felt this? Like whether it’s the first time you come to Jesus or you re-dedicating yourself or you just come back from a church retreat and you just like on fire for the Lord and you want to make a difference and reading the Bible hours and hours a day and you’re praying hours and hours a day, but slowly the reality of the broken world hits you in the face and things aren’t changing the way you thought they would.

Any excitement will fade. Any new experience will get old after a while. Someone who depends on excitement to keep him going as a Christian will burn out in short order.

I keep going on as a Christian for the same reason I keep riding my bike, or showing up at my job, or playing a video game - because I have a reason to do it. I am riding my bike to cut down on my stomach. I go to my job because they give me money. I play a video game to see the story in the game. And I continue being a Christian because I have a reason to do that too, long after the excitement fades.

 

[jacko]

I used to experience this a lot in my charismatic days. Since I've left those behind I've not had all the dramatic highs and lows.
I think often times it's easy to get caught up in things when you're in a group.
It reminds me of people in rehab. They spends weeks or months in a supportive environment, lots of people around to talk to or cheer you up. They're locked away from the rest of the world, away from people who will tear them down, push them to drink or do drugs, etc...
Many may feel confident than can maintain when they leave rehab, but once they're back in the real world, it's much harder.
The temptations are real, the pressure, the lack of support and encouragement, etc... can tear down any enthusiam they had, quickly.
I think it's similar for Christians in like environments. But under the guise that it's spiritual.

I will say that first getting saved is an exception. I remember first getting saved and I felt like I was seeing the world through new eyes. Feeling new things. Like a veil was lifted. But within a year it all had worn off.
And I think that's pretty normal.

The drug user in rehab is the perfect analogy… you’re kind of in your own little world away from the real world, and you might have some renewed energy or confidence.

 

[jacko]

you keep on struggling. push on.
get depressed. tyr harder, pray.

I was certain that this was probably the answer, but now I think a balanced. approach might be more beneficial

 

[HeIsHere]

I’m wondering if anybody has felt this? Like whether it’s the first time you come to Jesus or you re-dedicating yourself or you just come back from a church retreat and you just like on fire for the Lord and you want to make a difference and reading the Bible hours and hours a day and you’re praying hours and hours a day, but slowly the reality of the broken world hits you in the face and things aren’t changing the way you thought they would.

If you turn being Christian into obligation and activity, you are missing what is it.

 

[Karlon]

I’m wondering if anybody has felt this? Like whether it’s the first time you come to Jesus or you re-dedicating yourself or you just come back from a church retreat and you just like on fire for the Lord and you want to make a difference and reading the Bible hours and hours a day and you’re praying hours and hours a day, but slowly the reality of the broken world hits you in the face and things aren’t changing the way you thought they would.

past, present and future, that will always occur. 1 reason is it's the devil moving in slowly, subconsciously to sway you out of the will of God. people start entertaining & thinking on that 1st sneaky thought that enters you brain and "boom" you'e trapped. simply, command the devil to get out in the name of Jesus Christ. but he'll be back. so what do you do? retrain your condition response to recognize the thoughts immediately & cast them out immediately with a smile, cheer, delight, joy and confidence.

 

[jacko]

If you turn being Christian into obligation and activity, you are missing what is it.

It’s not an obligation actually the opposite kind of like maybe I’m over, estimating my own anointing. Like I think things would be different.

 

[jacko]

past, present and future, that will always occur. 1 reason is it's the devil moving in slowly, subconsciously to sway you out of the will of God. people start entertaining & thinking on that 1st sneaky thought that enters you brain and "boom" you'e trapped. simply, command the devil to get out in the name of Jesus Christ. but he'll be back. so what do you do? retrain your condition response to recognize the thoughts immediately & cast them out immediately with a smile, cheer, delight, joy and confidence.

Interesting… I might have to give this a try and rebuke every negative thought in my mind in the name of Jesus

 

[HeIsHere]

It’s not an obligation actually the opposite kind of like maybe I’m over, estimating my own anointing. Like I think things would be different.

I see, I can relate as a young Christian many years ago over time I felt that hopefulness slip away, but I think I had the wrong perspective.

Evil in the world will wax and wan, I think we are in a particularly dark time, especially in "western countries" but it is of our own making lots of bad theology has been taken on board, I am hopeful that when time proves all the "rapture theory" wrong Christians will come to their senses again and then maybe rather than trying to escape this world we can go back to the real role of being salt and light.
That is my hope anyway.

 

[Gideon300]

I’m wondering if anybody has felt this? Like whether it’s the first time you come to Jesus or you re-dedicating yourself or you just come back from a church retreat and you just like on fire for the Lord and you want to make a difference and reading the Bible hours and hours a day and you’re praying hours and hours a day, but slowly the reality of the broken world hits you in the face and things aren’t changing the way you thought they would.

God is way more interested in changing you. The world is on the broad path to destruction. If you allow God to change you, then you may be used to get someone to get off the broad path and onto the narrow way that leads to life.

 

[jacko]

I see, I can relate as a young Christian many years ago over time I felt that hopefulness slip away, but I think I had the wrong perspective.

Evil in the world will wax and wan, I think we are in a particularly dark time, especially in "western countries" but it is of our own making lots of bad theology has been taken on board, I am hopeful that when time proves all the "rapture theory" wrong Christians will come to their senses again and then maybe rather than trying to escape this world we can go back to the real role of being salt and light.
That is my hope anyway.

Thank you for sharing your perspective

 

[jacko]

God is way more interested in changing you. The world is on the broad path to destruction. If you allow God to change you, then you may be used to get someone to get off the broad path and onto the narrow way that leads to life.

I am changed for sure, but even my son who is 11 and my only Christian friend says daddy not everything is about God… Like sometimes he says I’m just overdoing it. But maybe it’s a good thing…


Today I woke up and I feel so uplifted! Yesterday I felt so down… nothing has changed but I think God saw my pain and gave me more peace and grace.

 

[HeIsHere]

Thank you for sharing your perspective

Yes a very popular one.

 

[jacko]

Yes a very popular one.

I tell you the truth, you can’t tell what religion 90% of so the called Christians are if you didn’t ask. Statistics say 60% of Americans identify as Christian’s. Loving each other… yea I don’t see it… sadly, Buddhist are probably the most kind… and Muslims as a whole the most devout.

 

[HeIsHere]

I tell you the truth, you can’t tell what religion 90% of so the called Christians are if you didn’t ask. Statistics say 60% of Americans identify as Christian’s. Loving each other… yea I don’t see it… sadly, Buddhist are probably the most kind… and Muslims as a whole the most devout.

I have noticed that too.