Complacency is Robbing Your Spiritual Growth

I have recognized a troubling pattern that needs our attention – complacency that is hindering many from continuing to grow spiritually. It is easy to get comfortable with where we’re at spiritually and content with going through the motions. However, before we know it our relationship with God starts to stagnate.

I understand how easy it is to slide into spiritual complacency. I get it, life gets busy. Other things begin to compete for our attention. Ultimately, we figure that we can coast for a while with the same old routine. But I’m here to tell you that coasting is not an option if we want to keep maturing as followers of Jesus!

Spiritual complacency can hinder our spiritual growth and requires our attention and effort to overcome. Today, let’s explore ways to break free from the chains of complacency and draw near to Christ.

The Danger of Complacency

The Bible warns us about the dangers of complacency when it comes to our faith. The author of Hebrews cautions, “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (Hebrews 2:1). Friends, it is so easy to start drifting when we become complacent! We get lulled into just going through the motions – attending church weekly, reading a few verses here and there – without really pressing deeper into God’s heart.

The danger of going through the motions spiritually is that we become stagnant. We become content with a superficial connection to Christ. When we perform religious rituals without intentionally seeking to deepen our relationship with Jesus, we stunt our spiritual growth. Our prayer life suffers, Scripture feels dry and duty-driven, and we lack spiritual vitality. We may still attend church, but we aren’t truly connecting with God. Complacency leads to a lifeless, lukewarm faith – one the Bible warns against.

Spiritual complacency slowly leads us backward instead of forward in our relationship with God. For example, have you noticed your Bible reading becoming more sporadic? Do your prayers feel rote and repetitive instead of authentic? These can be signs that complacency is setting in.

Moreover, spiritual complacency may manifest in an acceptance of cultural norms that contradict biblical principles. As society evolves, we risk conforming to worldly standards rather than standing firm in our faith. The danger is that our convictions get compromised. And before we know it, we find ourselves compromising ethical and moral principles for the sake of societal acceptance. To safeguard against such dangers, we must be vigilant, constantly examining our hearts and renewing our commitment to a vibrant, authentic faith that resists the pull of complacency.

Overcoming Complacency

The alternative to complacency is actively pursuing spiritual growth and greater intimacy with Jesus. As the Apostle Paul declares, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). When we continually seek to know Christ more, dive deeper into Scripture, and rely fully on the Spirit’s guidance, we will bear fruit and grow in spiritual maturity.

It can be difficult to overcome a deep-seated sense of spiritual complacency – but with intentionality and God’s help, it is possible to rekindle your passion for Christ! Start by evaluating your life for any routines that have dulled your connection with God; perhaps your Scripture study or prayer time has become dry and lifeless. Commit to replacing religious routine with an authentic relationship with Jesus.

Practical Steps to Overcome Complacency

By God’s grace, we can reignite our passion for Christ through some intentional, practical investments. The path to overcoming stagnancy starts with a first step. What tangible action can you take this week to leave complacency behind? Consider implementing one or more of these practical strategies to nurture your spiritual life and regain a vibrant connection with Jesus.

Daily Devotional

One key strategy is to cultivate a habit of daily devotion, setting aside dedicated time for prayer, meditation, and the study of God’s Word. Creating a sacred space for communion with Him allows us to break free from the monotony of routine and fosters a deeper connection with Christ. Through intentional seeking after God, we open ourselves to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Community and Accountability

One powerful way to overcome complacency is to immerse yourself in vibrant Christian community. Join a small group Bible study and carve out meaningful time for real conversations about your spiritual journey. Find a prayer partner with whom you can share vulnerably and keep one another accountable. Surrounding yourselves with a community of believers who share your commitment to spiritual growth provides mutual support and encouragement.

Serve Others

Additionally, embracing a servant-hearted mindset contributes to overcoming spiritual complacency. Jesus, our ultimate example, came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Actively seeking opportunities to serve others with love and humility redirects our focus from self-centered complacency to a Christ-centered, others-oriented perspective. If you’ve been attending church passively, begin serving in an area that helps renew compassion and reliance on the Spirit. When you’re actively blessing others, your spiritual life will be reinvigorated!

In conclusion, recognizing and addressing the pervasive issue of spiritual complacency is paramount for our continued growth in Christ. It’s easy to fall into the trap of routine-based spirituality, but we must heed the warning signs and actively resist the pull of complacency. The dangers are real – a stagnant faith, a superficial connection to Christ, and a drift away from the vibrant life God intends for us. God wants more for you! He wants you to experience the joy and blessing that comes with continued growth in your walk with Him.

Practical steps, such as cultivating a daily devotional habit, immersing ourselves in Christian community, and adopting a servant-hearted mindset, serve as powerful tools in overcoming complacency. These intentional investments in our spiritual lives can reignite our passion for Christ, transforming routine-based religion into an authentic, vibrant relationship with our Savior.

My prayer is that you will identify areas of complacency that may have crept in spiritually. And by God’s strength, you will take tangible steps forward – whether through establishing a devotional habit, plugging into community, or embracing opportunities to serve others.

One response to “Complacency is Robbing Your Spiritual Growth”

Larry “Wingnut” Wendlandt

November 10, 2024

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer

This “thing”… I call The Complacency Prayer.

In short, it says God grant me the abilities to not give a crap about the things I wish not to, and let me feel no remorse for this “nation unto self” attitude. (easy labeling of EVERYTHING DISTASTEFUL as something that cannot be changed/affected). Sad. Power hand-washing. 10,000 PSI “blow it off”.

It’s a long story. It has to do with the us vs. them wars of competing and walls that immoral folk assemble around THEIR nation-unto-self. These walls are high and thick, and cause a “if it doesn’t directly affect me, it’s not my problem” mentality (opposite of your insightful “adopting a servant-hearted mind set”). Dead babies and other social injustices can be banging off the OUTSIDE of those nation-unto-self walls, but as long as it’s happening on the outside… it’s happening “out there” to “them”, and not “in here” to “us”. Nation-unto-selfing at its finest (at its most-disgusting and immoral).

It all started with the adoption of competition (and profiting) as “okay” and “good”. Many (most) of God’s children moved from the central “commune” (commune-ity) farmhouse and went out into the pasture to start the us vs. them wars. The nation-unto-selves started competing over dollars and ownership… seeking to “get ahead” and “get a leg up” in the competing pyramid (standing on the backs of “lessers”, crushing them in the process of climbing to “heads in the clouds:” highness and nation-unto-self “success pride”. Gruesome, eh?

The reason for this “move” is still unclear, but could be caused by folks on the top of the socio-economic pyramid(s) wanting to cause bickering and distrust among the minion masses, taking heat off-of distrust and doubt toward those sheep-herd controllers.

They (the us-the warring folks out in the pasture) raised shields to protect their money/ownership emBANKings from lawsuits and high bills, not realizing their were swords welded to those shields… so they cut others with each shield-raise. They purchased thermal blankets of insurance from the fire-breathing dragon… making its flames hotter. The more they invoiced one another, the more they got billed themselves… because they didn’t follow the “what goes around, comes around” of spirography (the spirograph pen ALWAYS returns to its starting place… no matter which way its rotated…. billing or giving). These left-the-flock immoralists… called these activities… “normal”.. REALLY sad.

Hoarding and unto-selfism went rampant and is still there/here, Fear and distrust is everywhere and toward everything. Buyer vs. seller is insane. Less quality, more cost, a greed and hoarding festival extraordinaire.

How to repair? I suppose completely discrediting the serenity (complacency) prayer would be a nice start. Proving that communalism/marxism is NOT an evil thing… would be a good move. Remembering what is taught in the Bible… would be wise. Learning that competition is the exact opposite of cooperating… could be fruitful. Getting ahead and/or getting a leg-up… is NOT a wise goal. Mankind only advances as fast as its slowest member… so one might suspect “bringing up the rear” is a wise goal/strife.

One last note: No boats need raising… if they aren’t overloaded/sunk in the first place.