OVERCOMING THE “SPIRITUAL BLAHS”
Mark 8:14-21
Mk 8:14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
Mk 8:15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
Mk 8:16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”
Mk 8:17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
Mk 8:18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?
Mk 8:19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied.
Mk 8:20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.”
Mk 8:21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
INTRODUCTION
From time to time God’s people need a “spiritual zest” check-up. It has always been the case. That is why God gave festivals in the Old Testament – they were times to renew one’s self and remember His goodness.
In the church age this is often done through revivals and calls to spiritual service.
Maybe today is a good day for us to take a check-up and see if we are victims of spiritual inertia – the “spiritual blahs” so to speak.
The disciples found themselves in such a place. It is hard to believe since they were in Christ’s presence everyday but, none-the-less, they found themselves in a state of dullness.
But we don’t want to be too hard on them since we, too, are in the presence of the living God each day … he dwells within the believer.
Like the disciples, we also have all the resources we need to never fall prey to spiritual lethargy … but alas … we do.
Maybe the exchange Jesus had with his disciples will help charge your batteries.
Jesus asks five perspective questions that will help us with the “spiritual blahs.”
1. DO YOU STILL NOT SEE OR UNDERSTAND?
• When you find yourself in the doldrums or living like the disciples were … merely operating at a superficial level and responding to the immediate stimuli in front of them … you may want to stop and meditate on the significance of this question for a while.
• Stop and think about where you are, about what is happening to you and why it is happening.
• Analyze it.
• Read what the Bible has to say about it.
• Study God’s revelation to you.
• Use your mind --- chances are that it will exhilarate you and you will find yourself once again sensing the fellowship and the freedom that comes from God.
2. ARE YOUR HEARTS HARDENED?
• This is a hard question for us to face. But it is essential if we are to have the communion with God that we and He desires.
• Beware of (and be aware of) the development of a hard heart.
• The heart is the center of moral, ethical, and religious life.
• It can be soft (responsive to God’s will)
• It can be hard (determined to pursue its own inclinations) … even to the point of being petrified (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26)
• It is the responsibility of each saint to monitor and guard the heart … to keep it spiritually maintained.
• The Bible says: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23, KJV)
• Look at the condition of your heart. Take a serious look.
• Are you dull inside or do you still respond positively to the truth?
• If the heart does not respond to what the mind has understood, then it is because you have not really believed it. You may have recognized mentally that it is true, but you have not acted on it. You do not really believe God is going to do what He says.
• God’s truth always grips us and moves us when we believe it.
• If we are not challenged and encouraged, if we do not feel a response of joy, it is because the mind has grasped it but the heart has not. So we must pray that the eyes of the heart might be enlightened.
• How do you discern if you have a hard heart?
• Only God can search a heart properly. It is deceitful and its condition can easily be rationalized by us.
o The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV)
• That is why the Psalmist requested God’s help.
o Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
• Sometimes spiritual blahs arise when your lifestyle conflicts with God’s. It is called sin. The hardened heart is a consequence of sin. Once again, the Psalmist recognized this. He said: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. … Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:1,2,10)
3. DO YOU HAVE EYES BUT FAIL TO SEE, AND EARS BUT FAIL TO HEAR?
• Life is often a parable and a parallel to spiritual events.
• There is always more going on than we can see. Wisdom and spiritual discernment pause to seek the deeper activities of life.
• As you read through the gospels, you see that Jesus said these words again and again to His disciples. Each time, He means the same thing: “Don’t look at the events you are seeing and think that is all there is to it.”
• A story from Elisha’s ministry shows this so beautifully in 2 Kings 6:15-17
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don’t be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• The stories in Jesus’ account are also perfect examples. Jesus refers to both of the mass feedings and is expecting them to teach his followers deeper lessons. But all they could see were bread and fish or the lack thereof. But there were at least three lessons taught by Jesus in these events:
1. First, you are in the presence of the living God. Their failure to understand this made them incapable of envisioning anything more substantive happening.
2. Second, God’s supply will always equal or exceed your needs.
3. Third, since God is here and will meet your needs, you can focus on more important matters than food and supplies.
4. DON’T YOU REMEMBER?
• Sometime the spiritual doldrums can be sent on their way by spending time reflecting on God’s past goodness. The Psalmist did this frequently and for good reason. It is hard to remain spiritually dulled when you meditate on God’s goodness.
• Jesus calls these two feedings to their remembrance and urges them to rediscover the meaning of these events.
• Ask yourself questions like:
o What has God taught you in the past through times like this?
o In What ways has God shown himself faithful?
o What promises have you found in Scripture that God has kept … even when it seemed that circumstances would not permit them to be kept?
• This is a great reason to keep a spiritual journal – it gives you spiritual stewardship of life lessons.
o On too many occasions we find ourselves slumping spiritually and we cannot reflect as easily as we wish – the journal serves as an immediate resource to review God’s handiwork and love towards you.
• Jesus calls us to remember what he has done.
• Hasn’t God taught you truth through past circumstances?
• Do you remember the times He has shown His love and care for you during difficult times?
• Remember those times now, and always remember that you are in the hands of a loving Father.
• Learn to lay hold of His truth for your life and rejoice!
WRAP-UP
5. DO YOU STILL NOT UNDERSTAND?”
• After working through questions 1-4 we come full circle. But this time there is more understanding and our answer SHOULD be different.
• In fact, it should give us all we need to be renewed … to overcome the spiritual blahs.
• Will you allow yourself to be renewed?
1. Use your mind and seek understanding
2. Analyze the condition of your heart
3. Look beyond the obvious, beyond the visible.
4. Remember all that God has done for you.
In doing so I trust you will find renewed strength, invigorated faith, and an energy to praise and serve your Savior.
He who has ears to hear
Let him hear
