What do you do on those days when you can’t seem to focus on Jesus? What do you do when nothing you do and nothing anyone says to you gets you back in order with the Lord? Unless you’re above the rest of us, you must have days when there is no joy, not in the morning, not in the afternoon, and especially not at night when joy is exactly what you need. I’m just being honest when I ask myself if anybody else has gone through dry spells of faith and belief. I don’t want my commitment to waver or my mind to wander. But, if I’m honest, both do far more frequently than I sometimes want to admit.
In the world we live in, wavering faith and a wandering mind is a formula for death and damnation.
What’s the old saying that idle mind is the devil’s playground? Add to that wavering faith, and the mix will be sinfully volatile. I don’t know about you, but before I was saved, I could rationalize just about any behavior because the basis for it was my own well-being. As long as I was okay, what I did or said could always be rationalized through the consequences I had to endure. The consequence of my behavior towards others was their problem. After being saved, there is always at least one otherder when it comes to the consequences of my actions, my words and, yes, person to consi even my thoughts. We all know who that is.
When you consider the Lord as part of you, certain thoughts can embarrass you. Certain actions are unacceptable, and many words cannot be spoken. You see when you walk around with Christ and entertain table talk to digest wavering faith and a wandering mind. Focus is required. Mental sharpness is just part of it, as is spiritual clarity. I’m just acknowledging that it is not always easy and sometimes seems impossible. I’ve come to understand the reality of this and recognize it, Him; it’s hard, too, as part of the larger struggle for salvation.
My latest lesson learned from all this is that regardless of how much wavering and wandering I do, the place to be at the end of the day is on my face in prayer. Sometimes, I know I am white hot for the Lord, and face down is a perfect culmination to an awesome day. There are other times, however, when I’m embarrassed and guilty and therefore reluctant to bring my new mess to my face-down position. The answer can easily be, don’t go there. I know now that God expects to hear from me, whether it’s an old or new mess. As a matter of fact, I now believe He’s waiting every night like a parent who asks the child and then listens for the prayer before bedtime. Like it or not, the last thing I want is for God to come and look for me. Unlike Adam in the garden, I know I’m naked, and I cannot hide. Regardless of the situation, the best place is to face down, with your hands open, and ask for forgiveness. Consistency might bring some amount of credibility.
May God bless and keep you always.
