“A spiritual life requires human effort. The forces that keep pulling us back into a worry-filled life are far from easy to overcome.” — Henri Nouwen

Have you ever felt your spiritual life growing cold? The fire you once felt is now just embers? Here are some practices that help me when I feel that way:

1. Gratitude: One of the easiest antidotes for spiritual stagnation is thanksgiving. It sparks the life of the Spirit. Every. Single. Time.
2. Solitude: This means removing distractions – whether those distractions are work or people or cell phones. A vibrant spiritual life depends on time alone with God.
3. Fasting: Traditionally, this means giving up food for a specified time to allow for more focus on the eternal matters of life. It can also mean fasting from anything that seems to draw us into excess.
4. Spiritual friends: I have a friend who sometimes says, “Do you want to get together next week?” When she does, I find time because I know she wants to meet in a quiet place to talk about spiritual matters and pray together. We all need friends like her.
5. Worship: It doesn’t have to be in a church. We can worship in a quiet place at home, or on a walk, or while driving the car – anywhere we can think about the absolute wonder of God, enjoy his presence, praise him with words or song. Worship wakes us to the awe-filled mystery of being in relationship with our Creator.

The Holy Spirit is often depicted as fire. The practices listed here will invite the Spirit to reignite our love for God and others. And there is amazing joy and excitement when he does!

“. . . I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you. . .” – from 2 Timothy 1:6