Are You a Victim of Spiritual Starvation?

Are you a victim of spiritual starvation? Satan doesn’t have to tempt us to wander off into sin to hinder our faith. He simply has to keep us out of God’s Word.

If you don’t feel spiritually healthy. If you aren’t growing in Christlikeness, maybe you’re malnourished. Spiritual starvation will sap our strength, steal our joy, and hinder our witness.

What is spiritual starvation?

Our physical body needs healthy food at regular intervals to keep it functioning properly. Likewise, our souls need a regular intake of God’s Word to thrive. The Bible is our primary way to hear from God. It is our foundation and guide for being God’s child in this world. Without it we’ve closed our ears to God’s voice. We’re walking blind. (See “4 Spiritual Benefits of God’s Word.”)

3 Things that Interfere with Feasting on God’s Word

1. Busyness – Our culture worships “busyness.” Sadly, we often drink the Kool Aid. We judge our value by the fullness of our calendars. We constantly push the limits God established for us. The result is exhaustion, mediocrity in the multiple things we tackle, and less and less time in God’s Word.
2. Distractions – Meet Busy’s younger sister. Our world is loud, glaring, and non-stop. Messages and images constantly vie for our attention. The average adult spends 2 ½ hours a day on social media.
3. Superficiality – Sometimes we just go through the motions of discipleship. We attend church, read our Bibles, and even pray. But it’s all on the surface, just getting it done so we can check a box. We compartmentalize, just giving God a piece of our lives.

Fight Spiritual Starvation

We don’t have to be hungry. We can change our diet. The following “3 Ds” will get us started in the right direction.

1. Decide – What is truly important? Is it one more soccer game, one more committee, or more play date. Or do you want Jesus? If you truly want to know and follow Jesus then something has to change.
2. Determine – Take a good honest look at your calendar. Maybe keep a log for a few days to see just how much time you spend on distractions and time wasters. What will you say “no” to so you can say “yes” to time with God? If distractions are the problem, set some time limits, turn off the phone. Whatever it takes. (See “3 Steps to Foster a Hunger for God’s Word.”)
3. Discipline – Discipleship takes purposeful, intentional effort. Set some spiritual goals and strategies. (See “5 Tips for Setting Spiritual Growth Goals.“) Find an accountability partner. Establish a routine for time with God and stick to it. And don’t give up if you miss a day or two. Just begin again. (See “11 Tips for A Quality Quiet Time with God.”)

What about you? Are you malnourished? What is the cause?

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