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Church of St. John of Nepomuk, Val di Funes, South Tyrol, Italy. Photo by Charles F. Stanley.
Daily Devotion

When Our Faith Cools

If your passion for God fades, spend time in His Word to restore the vibrancy in your relationship with Him.

2 Timothy 1:1-11

Scripture assures us that as God’s children, we can never lose our salvation (John 10:27-28). However, it’s possible for our spiritual passion to wane. Today’s passage reveals that even Timothy’s excitement for God waned at times. That’s why Paul wrote to him, encouraging the young man to fan the flame of his faith.

Spiritual “cooling” can happen to any Christian. For instance, say tragedy or jealousy diverts our attention. Then instead of crying out to the Lord and finding shelter in Him, we may gradually pull away from Bible reading. But God’s Word is like wood in a fireplace: The flames can be kept alive only when there are logs to burn. As less time is spent in Scripture, other aspects of our relationship with God can be affected. Perhaps church attendance decreases, giving becomes sporadic, and prayer—which seems stale—is used only for emergencies. That’s how joy, contentment, and peace can get replaced by worry, doubt, and fear.

A believer who allows himself to drift will miss out on the comfort and fulfillment of a close, vibrant relationship with the Lord. Think back. Is your excitement about the things of God stronger now? Or has it diminished? If your fire needs help to burn brightly, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to make that happen (John 16:13).

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