Have you ever felt like your spiritual life is stalled, or you're just going through the motions? As if you’re in a “spiritual slump”? You're not alone. Many believers, even those who have been walking with God for years, experience seasons where their faith feels stale or distant. According to recent studies, nearly 60% of Christians admit to feeling spiritually stagnant at some point in their lives, and about 35% report that they often lack the motivation to engage in regular spiritual practices like prayer or Bible reading.[1] These statistics reveal a common struggle and help normalize what can feel like a lonely experience.
Spiritual stagnation can show up in various ways. Externally, it may look like neglecting the spiritual disciplines—like prayer, reading the Bible, worship, or attending church regularly. You might find that days or weeks pass without picking up your Bible or spending time in meaningful prayer. When it comes to serving others or engaging in community, you may have little desire to show up. Internally, the symptoms can be equally troubling. Apathy, or a lack of interest in spiritual things, begins to take hold. You might feel a disinterest in God and find yourself prioritizing everything else over your faith, sometimes even with a vague sense of guilt or disappointment in yourself.
The Reasons for Your Spiritual Slump
These feelings can often be traced back to specific causes. One of the main reasons for spiritual stagnation is a gradual shift of focus away from the gospel. The gospel is the core message of our faith, reminding us of God’s love and purpose for us, but over time, we can start treating it as something we already “know” rather than something we need to keep at the center of our lives. When we lose sight of the gospel, we lose the primary source of motivation to pursue God wholeheartedly.
Another common reason for spiritual stagnation is a failure to discipline ourselves to obey God’s Word. Growing spiritually requires intention and discipline, just like maintaining physical fitness does. Yet, when we neglect these disciplines, our faith can weaken, and we may find ourselves drifting.
Distractions are also a huge factor in spiritual stagnation. In today’s world, with social media, streaming services, and endless information available at our fingertips, we’re bombarded with options that demand our attention. Without realizing it, we can spend hours scrolling or binge-watching, leaving little time or energy for spiritual growth. These distractions pull us away from the things that matter most and contribute to a feeling of emptiness or stagnation.
Finally, sin can be a major roadblock. When we prioritize worldly desires—like the pursuit of money, power, or physical pleasure—over our relationship with God, it creates a distance between us and Him. Jesus warns us that we cannot serve two masters, yet things like financial success or physical desires can subtly take precedence. When we prioritize these things over God, we distance ourselves from the gospel's transformative power, leading to a deeper sense of spiritual dissatisfaction.
If you recognize any of these symptoms or causes in your own life, know that you're not alone. Many believers experience seasons of stagnation. Recognizing it is the first step to moving forward, and the good news is that God’s grace is always available to help us reset our focus and rekindle our desire for Him.
How to Regain Your Spiritual Vitality
To break out of a slump and regain our spiritual vitality, we must discipline ourselves spiritually. It’s not that the spiritual disciplines—Bible engagement, prayer, corporate worship, evangelism, and more—give us an immediate, magical injection of spiritual power. They do not. However, these habits, proscribed by Scripture, position us to grow spiritually steadily over time if we approach them in a gospel-centered manner.
The significance of the spiritual disciplines has once again emerged in bestselling books such as Donald Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and John Mark Comer’s Practicing the Way.[2] The specific lists of disciplines offered by Whitney, Comer, and others vary somewhat, but all of them list a few essential disciplines: Bible engagement, prayer, evangelism, and corporate worship.
Bible engagement is foundational, as the biblical writers were inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16-17), and the biblical books are utterly essential for our spiritual nutrition. The Bible is “living and active,” and its words are able to pierce our souls like no other book or resource (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). Through it, God guides us into truth and aligns our hearts with his will. Regular Bible reading strengthens our understanding of God’s character, reminding us of His promises and purpose.
Prayer is another vital discipline that connects us with God in a deeply personal way. The apostle Paul instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), and Jesus himself considered it important enough that he often withdrew from the crowds to pray (Luke 5:16). Through prayer, we speak with God and listen in return. We praise him, thank him, petition him, and intercede for others. A praying Christian is one whose desires are aligned with God.
Evangelism is an often misunderstood discipline. It seems many people think you need to be a Billy Grahm to be effective in sharing the gospel. But you don’t have to be a “pro”! In the Bible, we see many ways of sharing the gospel. The blind man did so by sharing his testimony (Jn 9:1-34). Matthew shared the gospel by throwing a party (Lk 5:27-31). The Samaritan woman invited other people to meet Jesus (Jn 4:1-26). Dorcas did good works for the poor but pointed to Jesus as her motivation (Acts 9:36-42). So, there are all sorts of ways to share the gospel, and when you do so, you become a conduit for Christ’s transformative power.
Finally, corporate worship brings strength and encouragement. When we become meaningful members of a church and meet weekly to worship with one another, we are doing what the early church did to become spiritually muscular (Acts 2:40-47). Corporate worship is more than a ritual; it’s an opportunity to reorient our minds, focusing our hearts on God’s presence and promises.
When these disciplines and others are incorporated regularly—like a “full-body” workout that targets different areas—they cultivate a balanced and full-souled spiritual fitness. Just as a HIIT regimen works out all major muscle groups, engaging in multiple spiritual disciplines builds resilience and deepens our connection to God.
A Call to Action
If you’re in a place of spiritual stagnation, consider this your call to take a first step today. The journey out of your slump doesn’t demand endless hours but calls for consistency and commitment. Embracing even a short daily spiritual regimen will strengthen your spiritual muscles, renew your passion, and transform your relationship with God.