What Is Spiritual Dullness

The Samaritan lady that Jesus encounters in John 4:13–14 is an excellent illustration of someone who is spiritually blind. Jesus addresses heavenly concepts throughout their meeting, such as the nature of salvation and redemption, yet this woman only understands Him to be talking about worldly matters. Unfortunately, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones describes in his lecture “Spiritual Dullness,” all persons who live in sin and darkness are in this position. Those without a restored mentality are unable to comprehend gospel truths, which are spiritually discerned with the help of the Holy Spirit. Even Christians may be deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafening This might be caused by a lack of comprehension of God's word or by sin in Christians' lives. Instead of confronting their faults, many Christians try to rationalize them, which can lead to spiritual blindness and a life of separation from God and neighbor. This is why the church must preach the gospel, which transforms and renews believers over time. Every day, Christians need God's immense grace, and God is trustworthy to offer them His grace in Christ. This should encourage all Christians to trust on God in all things and to declare the wonderful message of redemption by grace alone consistently and joyously.

What causes spiritual emptiness?

Spiritual emptiness was a major problem in the educated European middle class, according to Austrian philosopher/educator Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). He claimed that European culture had become “empty of spirit” and “ignorant of the demands, the conditions, that are required for the life of the spirit” in his 1919 lectures. Due to the “absence of will from the life of thought,” people experienced a “spiritual emptiness” and their thinking became distinguished by a “lazy passivity.” People would “let their thoughts to take hold of them” in modern Europe, according to Steiner, and these thoughts would increasingly be filled with abstraction and “pure, natural scientific thinking.” The educated middle classes began to think in a “devoid of spirit” manner, with their thoughts getting “dimmer and darker,” and their spirits becoming increasingly empty.

According to Louis Dupré, a Yale University philosophy professor, the “spiritual emptiness of our day is a sign of its religious poverty.” Many people, he claims, “never experience any emptiness: they are too busy to feel much absence of any kind”; they only realize their spiritual emptiness when “painful personal experiences — the death of a loved one, the breakdown of a marriage, the alienation of a child, the failure of a business” shock them into reassessing their sense of meaning.

Juvenile violence has been linked to spiritual emptiness. In his 1999 book How Juvenile Violence Begins: Spiritual Emptiness, John C. Thomas claims that kids in impoverished indigenous communities who are feeling meaningless may turn to fighting and aggressive crime to fill their void. In his 1999 book Lost Boys: Why Our Sons Turn Violent and How We Can Save Them, Cornell University professor James Garbarino believes that “neglect, humiliation, spiritual emptiness, alienation, anger, and access to guns are a few of the factors common to violent boys.” According to Garbarino, a professor of human development, violent males have “alienation from positive role models” and “a spiritual vacuum that fosters hopelessness.” The violent fantasy of American gun culture seduces these children, providing negative role models of tough, aggressive males who use power to obtain what they want. He thinks that giving boys a “feeling of purpose” and “spiritual anchors” that can “anchor boys in empathy and socially engaged moral thought” can benefit them.

Addiction is frequently linked to spiritual emptiness, particularly by Christian-influenced addiction organizations and counsellors. One of the effects of alcoholism, according to Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, is that heavy drinkers experience a spiritual emptiness. In his book Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception, published in 1997, Abraham J. Twerski contends that when people are spiritually empty, they typically turn to addictive activities to fill the emptiness. Unlike an empty stomach, which is a distinct sensation, spiritual emptiness is difficult to pinpoint, leaving persons with a feeling of “vague disquiet.” While some people try to fill the void by excessively having sex, overeating, or abusing drugs or alcohol, these habits only provide brief relief. When a person in crisis because of spiritual emptiness is able to stop one addiction, such as obsessive sex, they frequently replace it with another, such as gambling or overeating.

What is spiritual weariness?

Is your faith making you feel disheartened, detached, or disillusioned? If this is the case, you may be suffering from spiritual exhaustion.

Spiritual tiredness is also known as spiritual weariness or a lack of motivation to move on; in other words, it occurs when we are spiritually drained, defeated, and tired of trying.

Spiritual fatigue is something that everyone goes through. It's all part of the journey of developing a close relationship with Jesus.

Many times I've felt spiritual lethargy and weariness, and I've learnt from these low occasions that God is constantly at my side. If I press into Jesus when I'm spiritually depleted, I emerge stronger, closer to God, and more developed in my faith.

Because of the seasons and hardships of life, spiritual tiredness is unavoidable. We don't have to stay there, though.

Whatever bothers our mind, body, or spirit, there is hope for Christ-followers. Although Jesus does not promise to remove our sorrow, He does promise to carry us until we see glimpses of His love and hope once more.

Spiritual exhaustion reminds me of my attempts to become an athlete. Yes, I tried out for runner, swimmer, volleyball player, and tennis player. But I've never been successful. I am an excellent walker, but not an athletic.

When I try to engage in sports, it appears that I have weights on each leg that prevent me from moving swiftly. It also appears that the earth is becoming harder, and I am becoming uncomfortable. Are you able to relate? Probably not if you're a sportsperson!

I feel defeated and weary when I try to force my body to do things it can't. When I focus on what I can't do in my faith rather than what Jesus wants me to do, I experience the same irritation.

Despite my lack of athletic achievement, I have learnt to overcome spiritual exhaustion by turning to God and recognizing when my spirit is depleted and in need of recharging.

“I'm giving God joyous praise.” I'm doing cartwheels in praise of my Savior, God. I take courage and gather strength by counting on God's Rule to triumph. I dash around like a deer. I feel like I'm the king of the hill!” MSG Habakkuk 3:18-19

What does spiritual dryness feel like?

Spiritual dryness or desolation in Catholic spirituality refers to a lack of spiritual comfort in one's spiritual life. It's a type of spiritual crisis that manifests itself subjectively as a sense of being cut off from God or a lack of spiritual emotion, particularly during contemplative meditation.

How do you fill an empty heart?

As a result, curing emotional emptiness frequently entails two fundamental phases, based on Christ Jesus' formulation of the two “great commandments” in Matthew 22:37-39.

First, the hymn verse emphasizes the importance of turning to God since only He can fill the vacuum. How is it possible for God to achieve anything like this? God's essence is that of a “never-ending spring,” giving immeasurably of Himself to His children and expressing Himself through them, according to the hymn's next line. The Bible emphasizes the concept of God as a fountain in several places, including a line in Psalm 36: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light” (verse 9). The second step must be taken when the readiness to acknowledge God has been demonstrated. Our personal emptiness can only be filled by unconditionally loving, giving, expressing, and helping others. Only by loving can the heart live, as the hymn states.

I've had instances in my life when I've needed to fill emotional voids. I found that the emptiness I was feeling had no material solution, only a spiritual one.

What causes an empty feeling?

A sensation of loneliness, confusion about your life and ambitions, or a lack of motivation to pursue anything in life can all be symptoms of feeling empty.

Changing hormonal levels, losing a job, or the essential physical separation that comes with a pandemic could all be contributing factors.

Any life stage or event that requires you to think on yourself and your life may cause you to feel empty for a short time.

Feeling empty might indicate a variety of mental health disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Only a mental health specialist can accurately identify your illness.

What is spiritual lethargy?

Spiritual lethargy can be defined as apathy and/or inaction toward one's own spiritual development and vitality. “There is little fellowship and little joy in the Lord,” writes A. W. Tozer, eloquently.

What is spiritual burnout?

Burnout is defined as a state of physical or emotional depletion caused by prolonged stress. You're at high risk of burnout if you're under pressure to commit more energy than you have, and this toll continues over time.

We'd like to talk about a different type of burnout: spiritual burnout. When you take on too much spiritual work without giving your spirit time to rest, process, and grow, you will experience this. Often, this entails filling your calendar with workshops and webinars, devouring self-help books, and devoting a significant portion of your social life to discussing spiritual concepts or experiences. By all means, we encourage you to explore and sustain an active spiritual life, but spirituality is, at its core, about living in harmony with your own soul and the Universe. The trick is to maintain a sense of equilibrium.

Spiritual burnout is vital to recognize and avoid since it clouds your vision, drains your inner energy, and, in extreme circumstances, can lead to a complete abandonment of your convictions. Understanding the difference between feeling challenged and the early indicators of burnout is the first step toward recognition. A state of activation is referred to as a challenge. When we are confronted with a difficult situation, our spiritual ego springs into action.

Deactivation signals, such as burnout, are a state of deactivation. You withdraw from yourself and your greater power after periods of severe stress.

• Spiritual skepticism (“I'm not sure I believe in God if something like this could happen.)

Spiritual burnout is caused by a variety of circumstances, including personal, social, occupational, and communal influences.

Perfectionists are frequently at the root of personal reasons. You may not be allowing yourself the time to walk a spiritual path in a way that supports you if you expect yourself to be perfect or if you are seeking a major spiritual shift in your life.

Friends and relatives can provide social aspects. Is there somebody in your life who has big hopes for you? Do you get advise from a lot of different people? It could be time for you to clarify your beliefs and ask for some time to do so.

Messages from your place of worship or spiritual gurus are examples of community factors. It's fine to take a break if you feel like the lessons you're learning or taking in are moving too quickly or are too large for you to handle all at once.

To begin with, lighten your baggage. If you lower your stress during the process, you will move much further and more meaningfully in the long term.

Make your spiritual practice personal and compassionate by choosing a time of day when you have some solitary time. It might be ten minutes of meditation or a quick prayer and journaling before bed. Perhaps it's as simple as expressing thanks each night before dinner. There are a variety of low-stress ways to connect with and be uplifted by your spirituality.

Take a look at your lifestyle and how your beliefs integrate into your daily life if the indicators of spiritual fatigue resonate with you. How do you achieve more equilibrium so that you can handle the stress of an emotionally hard breakthrough or a powerful physical reaction?

Above all, find a support system of friends, family, and leaders with whom you can communicate. We are global citizens who live in small towns. We are fortunate that, at the end of the day, we are all human beings who will never have to face this wonderful life alone.

What are the stages of spiritual awakening?

The hero's journey, an evolutionary process of growth and transformation woven into all great myths and stories, was outlined by renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell: “A genuinely heroic shift of awareness occurs when we stop worrying about ourselves and our own self-preservation.”

The primary pushing off point for any hero's quest is known as the call to adventure. The call to adventure is a break from regular life, a signal that comes from deep inside, grabs your attention, and drives you in a new direction. The spark that sets off a spiritual awakening is a call to adventure. Every life has a moment that, if grasped, will change it forever. The call to adventure is a reawakening experience, a shift in perspective that forces you to reconsider your perspective on life. A travel to a strange location, the loss of innocence, an illness, a challenge, the death of a close friend, a near-death experience, or the loss of a job are all examples of spiritual experiences. Regardless of the specifics, the experience alters your perspective and causes you to see the world through fresh eyes. You've been given the task of living an ordinary life in an extraordinary way.

At this critical juncture, Joseph Campbell advises that you must choose whether or not to accept the call to adventure. In truth, though, ignoring the call isn't an option because your soul is inviting you to change on a deeper level. If you ignore the call, the opportunity will recycle itself like a skip on a record, patiently waiting for you to embrace the call to a new existence, thanks to your unique karmic influences. Furthermore, there is no going back once a transforming and deeply waking incident has occurred. Your eyes have been opened, and no matter how much you try to reject it, you can't turn away from the image of a greater reality calling to you.

You enter a broader universe once you've answered the call to adventure. You take an active role in your spiritual development and advancement. As you begin to manage your life toward chances that enhance your knowledge, responsibility becomes the operative word. Everything feels the same and weirdly different at the same time, thanks to a tiny alteration in perspective.

How do I renew myself spiritually?

Humans have yearned to understand their actual essence for millennia. Your spirituality is your connection to your actual self and the Universal God-consciousness that binds all beings. Spirituality is a lifetime effort, and depending on where you are in life, it may be time to take a step back and rediscover how to reconnect with God and achieve a refreshed spirit. Even long-standing spiritual practices might get tiresome, since it's typical to reach a point where you're looking for something new.

It's crucial that your spiritual life feels exciting, challenging, and helpful to the person you are today, much as continuing the same workouts at the gym day after day will ultimately reach its limit of efficacy. After you've spiritually rejuvenated yourself, it can seem like you've taken a deep breath of fresh air after living in a windowless chamber.