Feeling Spiritually Stuck
Real Struggles With Real Solutions • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction:
Every disciple of Christ eventually reaches a point where they feel spiritually stuck.
They still love God, still attend worship, still pray though maybe not as often as they had in the past— but something feels unmoving.
The passion is dimmer.
The joy is less.
The spiritual fire that once burned brightly now only flickers.
David felt this when he prayed...
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Some of the Hebrew Christians were stuck spiritually because they were “dull of hearing.”
11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
You can be spiritually stuck or stagnant if you stop wanting to hear God’s answers.
The Church at Ephesus was stuck or stagnant in their spirituality because they “left their first love.”
4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
God does not leave you stuck—He calls you forward with real solutions for real problems.
Body:
Recognizing When You Are Spiritually Stuck.
The first step in getting unstuck if you are stuck is to recognize that you are stuck.
Scripture acknowledges spiritual stagnation or being stuck spiritually.
Dull hearing and stalled growth may cause one to become spiritually stuck.
The writer of Hebrews talks about deeper things he wanted to teach them about Melchizedek but because they were “dull of hearing” he could not (Heb. 5:6-11).
They had become spiritually stagnant and had stopped growing because they did not want to hear.
They were stuck spiritually because they would not move on from the milk and this caused them to be unskilled in the word of righteousness (Heb. 5:12-13).
In order to fix this situation they had to realize they were dull of hearing and stuck in the milk but they also had to move on from being stuck.
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
This is not the only cause for feeling stuck.
There are many reason why one may feel stuck.
Common causes of feeling stuck.
Neglect—Heb. 2:1-3
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
Drifting away and neglecting salvation both happened because they gave less attention to their faith.
They stopped heeding the thing they heard and started neglecting the things spoken by the Lord.
This caused them to feel stuck.
Sin—Ps. 32:3-5
3 When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
David recognized that sin caused him to be spiritually stuck.
When he kept silent about sin his “bones grew old through my groaning all the day long” (V. 3)
This was the feeling of being spiritually stuck and it was caused because God’s hand was heavy upon him (V. 4).
It was David’s conscience that was bothering him.
He knew what was right but for a while he stayed in the sin.
When David acknowledged his sin, stopped hiding it and confessed his transgressions to the Lord, then God forgave him (V. 5).
He was no longer stuck spiritually.
Weariness—Gal. 6:6-10
6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Teaching God’s word can be very discouraging sometimes.
Take Noah for example.
He taught and he taught and he taught but only saved eight souls.
Here in Galatians 6 Paul compares teaching with sowing in a field.
Anybody that has raised a garden knows the work that is involved with that.
Paul goes on to say that there are two different ways to sow— to the flesh or to the spirit.
Doing good does not always bring about immediate rewards sometimes you have to wait and it can seem as if it is pointless.
This could cause you to feel stuck but God says trust me and take every opportunity to do good and you will not have that feeling for long. It will pass because “in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).
Distraction— Luke 10:38-42
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Taking your eyes off Jesus and being overly worried about the things of this life may cause you to feel stuck.
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus was not telling Martha that the serving was wrong but that there was something more important going on right then.
Her priorities need to be different.
Jesus was telling Martha that spending time with him was even more important than serving.
Do not get distracted and stuck with things that are less important than spending time with Christ.
This should teach us that if we are distracted and stuck in our spiritual life, then spend more time with Christ to get unstuck.
Hopelessness—Proverbs 13:12
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.
The only way out of being stuck in your faith by hopelessness is to realize what you hope is.
12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Once we realize what our hope is then we must be anchored by it.
18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Being stuck is not the same as being lost.
It is a season, not a sentence.
Whatever the reason you might feel stuck spiritually you can overcome it.
God’s Answer to being Spiritually Stuck.
A return to God with honesty.
Psalm 51.10-12— David’s prayer for renewal.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Lamentations 3:40-41—Examine your ways to return to God.
40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord; 41 Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.
Reignite spiritual disciplines
Paul said “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.”
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
The Psalmist said...
25 My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
Refocus on Christ, not feelings.
Heb 12:1-2— “looking unto Jesus.”
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2 Cor. 5:7— Walk by faith.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Proverbs 14:12—Our feelings sometimes seem right but they are not always right.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Jer. 17:9—Our heart can be deceitful.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Re-engage in service.
Eph. 2:10 — we are created for good works.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
James 2:17 — Faith without works is dead.
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Proverbs 11:25 — Blessing others refreshes us.
25 The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.
Jesus said...
38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Paul said...
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
How to move forward when you feel stuck.
Start with confession and self examination.
David said in Psalm 139:23-24— “Search me, O God.”
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
Paul said in 2 Cor. 13:5-6 — Examine yourself
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
Rebuild spiritual habits intentionally.
Daily Scripture (Acts 17:11).
Purposeful prayer (James 5:16).
Worship with expectation (John 4.23-24).
Reconnect with the body of Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Paul tells the church that every member of the body is needed.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Serve Someone
Service may rekindle spiritual passion.
4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7 For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
Set Spiritual goals
Growth requires direction.
17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
How Christians Can Help the Spiritually Stuck.
Encourage daily.
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Walk with them.
2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Pray with them.
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Invite them into spiritual fellowship often.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Conclusion:
Feeling spiritually stuck is not a sign of failure—it is a sign that God is calling you deeper.
David prayed for renewal.
The Hebrews were urged to grow.
The Ephesians were called to return to their first love.
God specializes in restoring people that feel stuck spiritually.
If you feel stuck today, God is not finished with you.
If someone you love feels stuck, God can use you to help them move forward.
Lets end with Phil 1.6.
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
