Everyone who calls themselves a Christian sometimes feels dry and weary in their walk. We may feel like we have lost our passion for praying, reading the Bible, and even going to church.
There are usually two questions that are asked, how did I get here, and how do I get back the excitement and joy of being a Christ follower? I think we need to go back to the early church for an answer. In Chapter 3 Acts, we see Peter and John heading to the temple to pray. On the way, they see a man who has been lame since birth. Now this lame man thought Peter and John were going to give him money, but instead, Peter tells him “In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk.”
Of course, the man did get up and began to walk around to the astonishment of all the people around that had witnessed this miracle. Peter quickly clarifies that it was not him that healed this man, but it was by the power of Jesus the Christ. Peter then goes on to proclaim the gospel by explaining that at some point they had denied the Holy and Righteous One. In fact, they requested a murderer be given to them. Peter goes on to say that they killed the source of life, but God raised Him from the dead. Peter tells them that he and John are witnesses to this truth.
Now Peter understood that they were ignorant of what they did, but now they are being given a chance to rectify this. Now here is the verse I want us to focus on in verse 19 of Acts 3, “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” We hear a challenge for the people to evaluate their lives and for them, there was a need for repentance. This should make us stop and think. Is there something in our lives that has taken our eyes off Christ? Have the things of this world captured our attention?
I’m not casting stones but casting a reminder to stop and ponder about what has become priorities in our lives. When our lives get cluttered with the things of this world, we can experience a spiritual drought, a dryness in our souls. Peter reminds us that in that case we should fall before our Lord and repent. To repent is to recognize we are not where we should be, ask for forgiveness, and turn back to where we should be in reference to our spiritual well-being. When we humble ourselves and desire to be right with the Lord, a refreshing will come into our lives.
We do not have to settle for good enough in our spiritual life, in fact, the Lord desires greater things for us than just good enough. So, let us rise, seek the Lord, and pray for that refreshing in our lives that we may walk and serve Jesus with all our hearts.