Whether it’s burnout, discouragement or depression, there are times in our lives when we feel like we have lost the zeal. The passion with which we did life seems to be gone and we are just going through the motions. One foot in front of the other in a monotonous march on auto pilot. Things that used to bring us joy don’t anymore and that sparkle in our eyes is dimming.
God knew a time like this would come, so in His divine providence led Paul to write these words of encouragement from Romans 12:11: Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
How do we do that? How do we take care not to lose our zeal? How do we keep ourselves fueled and aflame? If my memory serves me right, in physics, one of the principles we were taught was that of causality. Cause and effect if you may. So, to apply it to this context, there are actions that if taken, will result on our zeal being maintained at optimum, or when dwindling will be reignited.
1. Prayer.
Jesus often retreated to a quiet place to pray. If Jesus, the very Son of God needed to be in prayer constantly, how much more do we? Prayer is one of the main ways we access God’s power and strength to keep going.
One of Jesus’ times of prayer that stands out for me most is right before His crucifixion. It was such a trying time for Him. He knew the only thing that would get Him through this trying time was God’s power which He accessed through prayer. After He poured out His apprehension, fears and unbridled feelings to His Father in heaven even to the point of tears that were like drops of blood, God sent angels to minister to Jesus. He was refueled and I believe reminded of the reason He came to earth which was to die on the cross for us and rise again victorious over sin and death. His purpose needed fulfilment, which meant that He had to endure trials for a season, but after He had gone through them, there was victory on the other side!
Like Jesus, let us approach our Father in heaven through prayer at all times, and even more especially when we need refueling. God will send His angels to minister to us too!
Luke 22:42-44 “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And in His anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.
Also, when we pray, God fills us with His Holy Spirit, giving us boldness and fueling us so we do not burn out.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
2. Reading God’s Word.
The word of God is alive (Hebrews 4:12) and the word of God breathes life into us and our situations. To quote the words of Jesus Luke 4:4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.‘” Tackling burnout in our lives means we pay special attention to feeding on the word of God. We pay so much attention to feeding our body with heathy nutritious food everyday, as we should, and Jesus reminds us that there is more we are to do. Don’t just feed the body with physical food, feed on spiritual food as well by reading the word of God daily and living by it. We live by God’s word when we find every opportunity to practice what God’s Word teaches, even when it is difficult, especially when it is difficult. One of the greatest realizations you can come to is that the flesh is not your ally. So we must not depend on our bodies and feelings for instruction on how to live a Godly life. That must only come from God Himself through His Word.
3. Being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:3-4 New Century Version (NCV)They saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them.
In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the upper room as flames of fire. That is very symbolic of the fire that the Holy Spirit ignites in believers and for as long as it is not quenched, will continue to fuel us, keep us aflame and keep us from burning out.
How do we receive the Holy Spirit? God’s word tells us that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.”
Praying with one accord with fellow believers leads to everyone being filled with the Holy Spirit
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
4. Friendships that build us up and cheer us on in our walk with Jesus.
Proverbs 27:17 It takes a grinding wheel to sharpen a blade, and so one person sharpens the character of another.
The prayer I constantly pray for our children, my husband and myself regarding friendships is that God will bring Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego kind of friends into our lives. These were Godly friends who prayed and fasted with Daniel, who encouraged him in the way of the Lord and who walked with him in God’s ways, uncompromisingly even to the point of death. I want that, I need that. And if God could do that for Daniel, He can do it for you, because our God loves us all the same, He is no respect or of persons.
Having such friends who also believed in the One true God in such a perverse land as Babylon was so crucial to them all staying true to their beliefs because there is strength in numbers. They helped each other keep aflame and not lose zeal in serving God.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble…..A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Pray and ask God to send Godly friends your way, and to help you be a Godly friend to others.
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