Last week I was very spiritually lazy. I didn't spend much time in the Word, in prayer or seeking God. Life was busy, I was overwhelmed and tired...so I got lazy.
There were consequences. Every time I turned on the radio for a Christian sermon, I drifted. On Sunday during worship and service my mind wandered. It's as if I was losing the ability to hear the voice of the Lord.
A few weeks ago I had been spending much more time with the Lord, and I could actually sense His Presence inhabiting the praises of His people during worship. Joy resided in my heart and I looked forward to each day.
During service this past Sunday those things were gone. At least for me. And I felt it rise up in my spirit, "You are not hearing My voice because you are not spending time with me." John 10:4 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. It's as if I didn't know the voice of my Shepherd anymore. This happened very quickly. It took less than a week. It just shows me the times are short and desperate...we need to stay connected and stay withing hearing distance of our Lord. I failed in this, but am vowing to not do that again. I can't be disconnected to my Lord. None of us can.
John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He ]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
I do not want to be a withered branch!!
Lord, thank You for this lesson, once again. The quickness of it scares me, and encourages me all at the same time. Lord, let us be quick to heed Your warnings and directions. Let us not get to the point where hearing and listening to You becomes unfamiliar and takes a backseat to anything else in our lives. Forgive me. Lord, help those who are reading this to learn from my mistake. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen
