A Dull Spirit

At the conference last weekend, one phrase really pierced my heart: A Dull Spirit. A female speaker was addressing that when we are lazy in our faith, we become dull in spirit. The phrase was so ugly to me, and it pierced my heart because I realized that it was true of me. I had become dull in spirit. Oh, how drab and ugly!
She encouraged us that the way to conquer a dull spirit is grow in the spiritual disciplines- even if we don't see results right away! Dictionary.com defines discipline as 1. training to act in accordance with rules and 2. activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training. The speaker explained that the spiritual disciplines (meditation, prayer, fasting, study of the Word, simplicity, solitude, submission, service, confession, worship, guidance, and celebration) are not to be considered another yolk of slavery. Our God is a jealous God who demands our all, and He will use the disciplines as a means of grace to liberate us from our chains. When we participate in the spiritual disciplines, we draw near to God. We become more intimate with Him. His light shines on us, in us, out of us. Alas, our spirit will no longer be dull, but alive and effective. As Liz reminded us last night in our prayer session, the Apostle Peter in his 2nd epistle admonishes the church: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverence; and to perseverence, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1: 5-8.

As I write this, I am listening to Vicky Beeching's Album. The words to her song Search Me strikes a chord in me:

Search me Oh God
Search me and find
Any way in me that does not reflect Your purity
Refine me Oh God
In the fire of Your gaze
That I might be holy in all of my ways
Take me deeper Lord
Draw me closer Lord…
Give me a heart after Your own heart
Give me a mind that is pure and pleasing to You
Fill me with love
With Your power and Your joy
That this world might see You in me.

May God draw us all nearer to Him. May His Church, His beautiful Bride, shine purely and beautifully. May we reflect His purity and His love to all the world with radiance, which would be the opposite of dull :)