After a week away from my house I opened the refrigerator and there it was lurking, the smell of staleness.  The minute I opened up the door I knew something wasn’t right.  So I began searching and in the bottom fruit drawer, there was a rotten piece of fruit.  It was disgusting!  So bad I didn’t even want to touch it.  What was once a ripe perfect peach was now a moldy, discolored, smelly, contaminated, no longer fit for consumption piece of garbage. Maybe you feel like you were once bearing fruit, but now, its all gone bad.

What was once meant for our benefit has now turned toxic to us. 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing..”   John 15:5

You are probably no stranger to spiritual stagnation.  You know that time in your life where you are reading the bible, praying, worshiping, a part of a small group family and yet NOTHING seems to help and you don’t feel close to God?  You are in the “desert” and there doesn’t feel like there is even a way out.  Hold on and calm down, Jesus knows how you feel, and He is probably closer than you think.

4 Things To Do When Life Feels STALE:  Keep It #FRESH

#1 Call Out to God –  When Jesus felt alone and abandoned, He actually cried out to God, “my God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”  I call this the good enough principle.  If it is good enough for Jesus it is good enough for me.  What are you afraid of?  God is listening to you and is waiting to hear you cry out to him.  Until you realize your desperation you will fall into the trap of mediocrity.

#2 Get Away – I don’t think I can ever beat the drum of practicing sabbath enough.  Why?  because we don’t do it enough.  On your sabbath, confess your sins.  This means you are using this as a time to detox.  Is there anyone you need to forgive?  Is there a problem you need help with?  Is there a debt that is unpaid you are ignoring?  Getting away gives us perspective.  Recently, as my wife and I went on a sabbath retreat together, as we left NJ and were on the road, we felt like all of the sudden we saw things with a different perspective.  It was refreshing!

#3 Change Your Routine – Maybe you are the one who needs changing and God wants you to change.  We tend to cling to routine and then say, “this is just how God speaks to me.”  Maybe God wants to take you through a new season in your life where you hear His voice differently.  Maybe you should “sing a new song”  To God.  So many times we live on yesterday’s blessings and last year’s harvest.  You need a #fresh blessing from God with a #fresh word and a #fresh revelation from Him.  Change it up!

#4 Obey –  What was the last thing you felt God told you to do?  Did you do it, or are you still running?  Many times we don’t hear the voice of God because we are running from the call on our lives.  God simply wants us to do the last thing he told us.  (And by the way, the closer you get to Him, sometimes the more unreasonable these things become)  Many distractions get in the way:  money, convenience, comfort, laziness, and as long as you stay in your comfort zone he will probably keep you in the desert.

We have all been there and I don’t know how long your season will last, but NEVER give up on God’s #FRESH START for you.

Josh

Join us at 217church this week for our new summer series #JERSEYFRESH! #Summer2014

June 15 – Fresh Vision

June 22 – Fresh Perspective

June 29 – Fresh Grace

July 6 – Fresh Relationships

Join us at 217church, a multi-site, contemporary church in Mercer County NJ.  217church is a family with small groups in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that meets Sundays in the Hamilton AMC24 Theater 9:30 & 11am and Grace Rogers School in East Windsor, NJ at 10:15.  Our new East Windsor Campus meets every Sunday.  If you are looking for a church in East Windsor NJ, Lawrenceville NJ, Ewing NJ, Robbinsville NJ, Hightstown NJ, Hamilton NJ, Mercer County, Middlesex County or Bucks County, PA, don’t miss our weekend services. Visit www.217church.com for more information.  Celebrate Father’s Day with us Sunday June 15th