My car sports this tiny gauge on the dashboard with which I have a love/hate relationship. You see, the gauge proudly displays 100% immediately following an oil change. But as I drive and rack up miles, that 100% steadily drops until an orange indicator light appears around 15%, letting me know it’s time to schedule a service appointment.
Herein lies my challenge—there’s never a convenient time to make a service appointment. But herein also lies a choice: either I prioritize making a service appointment, or with one little push of a button, I can turn off the indicator light and continue driving as usual. As you can imagine, the latter choice only works for so long before my car inevitably hits 0% on the gauge. Now, what was once a mild warning has become an impending crisis.
Did you know your soul exhibits similar indicator lights? While it's not a neon orange oilcan, your soul issues indicators to get your attention and notify you that it needs realignment with God.
First, indicators can show up emotionally, presenting as steady low-level discouragement, being easily irritated, or restless in your spirit.
Second, indicators can also show up physically, presenting as a lack of motivation, numbing out, or looking to food, people, or entertainment for quick pleasure hits.
Finally, these indicators can show up mentally, presenting as fear-inducing thoughts, lies you’ve adopted as truth that draws you away from the Lord, and problems that rob you of sleep because you can’t (or won’t) stop mulling them over.
When these indicator lights go off, you might find yourself in the same predicament as me, for there rarely seems to be a convenient time to stop what you’re doing and make a, perhaps long-overdue, “service appointment” with God. Herein lies your choice point: heed the warning or override your soul’s indicator lights and keep going. If your default is to override God’s nudging, you can only go so long before, just like my car, you, too, hit 0% and find yourself in a spiritual crisis.
Perhaps you're there now, in the vice-grip of a challenge forcing you to stop and look to God. If you're honest, maybe there's been a tug at your heart as you’ve read these words because you’ve allowed the days, months, or years to pass without meaningful connection with the Lover of your soul. And now, instead of fullness, there’s a sting of shame as you face unfulfilled goals or visions for your life.
Friend, do not be discouraged because there is good news: it’s never too late. You don’t have to stay stuck. Jesus offers the path to personal transformation. He’s not going to slap you on the wrist for being busy or distracted; He just wants time with you. He desires that you bring Him your heart in whatever condition it’s in. So, right now, you face a choice point. You can either ignore (again) the tug at your soul—yet you already know where that leads—or you can stop and cry out to God to move you from what is to what could be. The essence of a spiritual breakthrough is a powerful declaration of faith and hope. It’s an invitation for God to transform your life, to take you from where you are—perhaps stuck, weary, or lost—and lead you to a place of renewal, healing, and fulfillment.
Allow me to give you a jumping-off point for your conversation with God today. Try one of these statements to see if it feels congruent with the ache in your soul.
God, move me away from spiritual apathy and give me the desire to grow and consistently invest in the joy of a relationship with You.
God, move me away from unhealthy addictions or the escapes I seek from things or people and teach me how to find satisfaction in You alone.
God, move me away from the unforgiveness or legalism that keeps me tightly bound and allows me to walk in freedom.
(Personalize this statement) God, move me away from ______________________ to ________________________.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (NIV) Where is God beckoning you to shed the old and welcome the new? While it may seem easier to gloss over His indicator lights, either because you’re caught up in life’s busyness, you hope the problem will resolve itself, or maybe because you’re waiting until you have your act together, I want to assure you that God does not need a sanitized version of you and that dealing with the indicator lights will be far easier if not ignored, leading to greater issues over time.
So, evaluate where your gauge is dangerously low in your spiritual life. Where are the warning lights flashing, urging you to take action? Now heed these warnings and make necessary adjustments. Allow God to work in your life, to transform you, and to take you from where you are—perhaps stuck, weary, or lost—and lead you to a place of renewal, healing, and fulfillment. Ask God to do what only He can do: restore, heal, and bring life where there has been stagnation or decay.
As you know, life is a journey, not a destination. So, decide what it looks like to have regular “service appointments” with God so you can listen to His prompts, experience His presence, and find joy in your daily walk with Him. This is not just about faith alone but about creating a true faith-based self-help routine to keep your spiritual life thriving. Then, much like a car fresh from service, you’ll be ready to tackle any journey.
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