Do you ever go through a spiritual slump?

I have been enjoying a time of growth in my christian walk. Every sermon I heard taught me. My prayers felt right and good. Every word of the Bible was devoured with thirst.

It seems like one day I woke up and it all went stale?? It happened right around my son's surgery...I prayed and prayed for him to live through it (and he did), but I also came to realize that even though I prayed for his life, God could have chosen for him to not survive, and I would have had to accept that as His will, and suffer. I also realized that a transformation to be like Christ in every way also includes suffering, and I am not willing to suffer through death of a loved one. I also came to realize that I don't trust to give over my son's disablilty to God. This surgery could potentially heal his developmental problems, but I don't think God will grant me that fabulous result, just beacuse I want it so much.

Now, that said, I have repented of my newfound distrust and rebellion. I do wish to be like Christ, but I am scared to surrender all. He knows my fear. I know my shortcomings. I have asked him to change my heart. But my personal growth has stopped. My Bible time is stale. Ugh! I don't like it! If you were going through a stale time, where would you turn in your Bible to get strength and back to eating meat? I am struggling through the book of Isaiah right now, and it is not sticking very well.

I would read through some Psalms. Every time I go through periods of distrust, they get me back on track.
I have learned that whatever God allows to happen - its right and its just. We dont see the whole, we only see in part.
If you dont trust, you are only robbing yourself from the peace and joy that await when you give it all to Him.
I'll be praying for you.

Sweetie, don't be afraid of this time. We can't be on mountaintops all the time. I do very much remember those times in my early walk with the Lord.

You said your personal growth has stopped. No, it hasn't. Not really!

You are Mom. You know that your kids have growth spurts and then there are times when you thank the good Lord they have stopped for awhile so you don't have to keep buying new clothes!

We have growth spurts spiritually, too. This part still happens with me. There are times when something I read, in or out of the Bible, seems to spark a spurt of new understanding and joyful prayer and deeper study. But there are the times between those times when all is quieter and life simply goes on.

What I have learned is that each time passes. There is a season or a time for everything and I am no longer nervous about the changing seasons of my life.

There are things you are doing which will keep you from fussing: taking care of your family, catching up with scrapbooks, maybe. Take soup to sick friends or older people and most especially make sure that those in your church who are sick or lonely get a little visit from you. Serving keeps you on track even when your mind and heart seem to be 'resting.' Experiment with cooking or baking something new and thank God you live in a country and in an economy which permits that!

As you move yourself out of your normal habits of daily life, you will find yourself grabbing on to God with greater thankfulness and understanding than before. And there will be people thankful to Him for you, too.

TaterTot is right about Psalms. Most are short and just reading a couple at a time and sort of thinking about them as you go about your day will also help a LOT.

One of the most encouraging books in the New Testament, for me, is Philippians. I love that book! So I would recommend that one, too.

I've been with the Lord for 30+ years now and I have learned that stale times come and go. This is the post-Christmas season and it's yucky out and sometimes yucky in, too. Don't worry. Spring comes. We haven't missed one yet!

It's not all a cosmic joke. You know Jesus. Feel free to strip away everything else in your areas of doubting and staleness and know that you know Jesus and HE, at least, is real!

And the seasons come and the seasons go. If you did not go through this time, how on earth would you reassure your children later when they are young adults and go through the same thing? God is closer than you think.

You have some very good advice here. Remember... God WONT let anything happen that He knows that you can't handle. Not too long ago my youth pastor was teaching on a short series on stages you go through spirtually called Medicine, Dry Cereal, and Peaches-n-Cream. The medicine stage was when you didn't want to read ur Bible but u did it anyway because u knew it was good for u. The dry cereal was when u got into the habit of reading ur Bible everyday but it got stale, boring, and u weren't really getting anything out of it. Peaches-n-cream was where when u read a passage in the Bible, applied what u read to ur life, and started to see the results; blessings, God answering prayer,etc. TaterTot made a very good point in reading Psalms. Sometimes when I get tired of reading all the bad things that I'm doing I like to renew myself by reading Psalms. It has stuff in there that talks about praising God, trusting Him, etc. that I find very...refreshing. Does this make any sense? I also read Isaiah not too long ago and found it dry... i didn't get much out of it. Proverbs, Psalms, and the NT I like alot because it teaches what I should/shouldn't do and it is has stories of Jesus and parables. Hang in there and don't give up! Keep reading even if it is getting stale. God lets things happen for a reason good/bad. God isn't basing outcomes on ur feelings... He isn't like that. He bases outcomes on what He knows is best for you no matter how it may hurt. Believe me I know (i wont go into details)
He knows the outcome for ur life; trust and obey.

Psalms is great to read and meditate on, and I would also suggest reading, meditating and praying through Isaiah 40-66. There is a lot there to encourage and guide in times of slumps. We all go through them and God uses them to grow us in our relationship with Him.

I believe every christian goes through 'spiritual slumps' from time to time. It is during those slumps that we must rely on Christ to carry us through as in the little story, 'Footprints in the Sand'.

We all go through spiritual slumps whether we like to admit it or not.There is a song (I can"t remember the title)that has a line that says,"thankyou for the valleys I walk through today,the more I walk the more I learn to pray." The key is to keep on keeping on.
Have you thought about doing some topical Bible studies?I am sure you have some questions you would like to get answers for.You could do a search in Naves Topical Bible or R.A. Torrey's "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" that might help you.
Your honesty in your post tells me you are on your way to healing and the battle is partially won already.

Originally posted by Seth&Mattsmom:
I have been enjoying a time of growth in my christian walk. Every sermon I heard taught me. My prayers felt right and good. Every word of the Bible was devoured with thirst.

It seems like one day I woke up and it all went stale?? It happened right around my son's surgery...I prayed and prayed for him to live through it (and he did), but I also came to realize that even though I prayed for his life, God could have chosen for him to not survive, and I would have had to accept that as His will, and suffer. I also realized that a transformation to be like Christ in every way also includes suffering, and I am not willing to suffer through death of a loved one. I also came to realize that I don't trust to give over my son's disablilty to God. This surgery could potentially heal his developmental problems, but I don't think God will grant me that fabulous result, just beacuse I want it so much.

Now, that said, I have repented of my newfound distrust and rebellion. I do wish to be like Christ, but I am scared to surrender all. He knows my fear. I know my shortcomings. I have asked him to change my heart. But my personal growth has stopped. My Bible time is stale. Ugh! I don't like it! If you were going through a stale time, where would you turn in your Bible to get strength and back to eating meat? I am struggling through the book of Isaiah right now, and it is not sticking very well.

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I have a favorite song that goes:

Out in the cold world away from God, No signs of where man's feet have trod;
With broken heart I tried to pray, that God would take my sins away.

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Now, some may argue, but that is for the broken and contrite, searching sinner's soul. Maybe, but it can also apply to the new convert who suddenly finds his enthusiasm going stale.

All of my prayers were chattering words, and really felt they were not heard;
The more I felt to be denied, the more I prayed, the more I cried;

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Preachers sometimes wake up with no desire at all to open the Bible, no desire to pray, just like you. In a kind of spiritual vacuum. But the secret is persistence. Keep on keepin' on.

This is the fourth stanza:

The answer came as I gave up, About to drink the bitter cup;
That Jesus died on Calv'ry's tree To save poor sinners just like me.

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When we get to that point in our walk that you're describing, remember that Jesus was the One who hang on that tree, and you in Him. Paul said:

>>Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27).<<

Just git down on your knees, pray, pray, pray, and let the Spirit take over.

The last stanza of the song:

And now I'm singing on my way, That Jesus washed my sins away;
And as I live I want to tell, that Jesus has done all things well.
[/QUOTE}

Jesus has done all things well.
We may not be able to pray like Daniel, preach like Paul, but, we are in Christ, and Christ in us, and Christ did all things well.

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Have I ever experienced a spiritual slump?

How much time have you got, sister?!

Since you are reading in Isaiah, try chapter 54.

It's about how everything is going to be OK.

It's literally about the future glory of Israel, but I like to apply it to my own self and how God can be disappointed in me and allow me to suffer things usually of my own making, but He desires me to be uplifted and made whole!

I also like Lamentations 3:19-24.

"I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall,

I remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind and therefore have great hope;

BECAUSE OF THE LORD'S GREAT LOVE WE ARE NOT CONSUMED,

FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL.

THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING;

GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS.

I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion;

therefore, I will wait for Him.'"

Peace-
Scarlett O.
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I still have my bookmark in Isaiah, but I don't want to skip the first forty chapters to get to the easier to digest ones. What is a topical study? I am not familiar with that term.

Funny, about my son, right after I posted this, I ran out to do an errand, In the car, I caught the tail end of Chuck Swindolls program, and he told us to put our children on the altar as Abraham did and surrender to God. I boo-hooed! He is so hard to surrender, because of how badly I want him healed. This surgery is kind of the last remaining hope for a natural cure.

These are all great suggestions, and I am glad I am not the only one that gets stale from time to time. I was just so surprised to find it happen so quickly within a matter of a day or two. I do hope it passes, because I miss the meatiness of my Bible and personal time with God.

A topical study is just that. A study of one particular topic in the bible.

Go to biblegateway.com . There is a "keyword" search, a "passage" search, and a "topical" search.

For example, if you use the topical search and type in the word "love", it will show you how the word is used all over the bible.

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• charity</font>
• agape</font>
• children</font>
• brotherly</font>
• ...and so on.</font>

I've been through the valley and been on the mountain. The key is to ground yourself on the truths found in Scripture and remind yourself of the promises of God. Continue to pray and read Scripture. Don't give up. You will get through this.

Thankyou Seth&Matt'smom for your honesty, that is the first step of getting back on track, so you are already on the way there!

Keep listening to Charles Swindoll, he is a solid man of God and will encourage you in the faith. He has many good sermons, and I think that you may well be interested in his new book called "Getting through the tough stuff" As listed here -

http://orders.koorong.com.au/product/details?code=0849991315

Another suggestion I have for you is to throw yourself into the fellowship of Christians and surround yourself with people that encourage you in the faith. Why not consider if you have the time becoming a volunteer at your local Christian radio station? That can be a great way to be encouraged, meet new people and at the same time take part in service for the kingdom which in my experience has been the best way to shake off those shackles!