One Sunday morning several years ago I made a statement during my sermon that offended a woman in the congregation.  OK, I’ll admit, I said something just about every Sunday that offended someone, so it wasn’t exactly unusual – but this particular incident has some relevance to what I want to write about tonight.

This woman took offense that I said one of the ways the Bible is true is that the Bible is like life – it has good, evil, drama, intrigue, suffering, triumph  - and sometimes it’s just plain boring – just like life.  Have you ever read those long lists in the Chronicles?  Or all those begats in Genesis?  Or all those dietary laws in Leviticus?

Now I’ve probably just offended some of you.  So let me explain myself.

Trusting and following Jesus isn’t what it’s advertised to be on TV.  Being a Christian isn’t always your best life now or the power of positive thinking or possibility thinking or being purpose driven.  There are going to be what A.W. Tozer called “dry spells” – times when God doesn’t seem as near and your distance from him doesn’t seem to have any apparent explanation.

Of course, dry spells can be of our own doing – sin and disobedience are always a fast ticket to the wilderness.  But there’s always enough grace and goodness in God’s heart to get us back on track if we’re willing to repent.  A time of renewal is often when God seems especially near.

But the sort of dry spell I’m thinking of is a little less dramatic.  Let’s face it, we’re going to hit spiritual dry spells and get bored.  How we deal with those times will ultimately determine if we grow or digress spiritually.  There’s no such thing as sitting still.

I think God put some of that boring stuff in the Bible just to see if we can get through it.  Seeking or sensing a connection to God when we’re in trouble or on top of the world is expected if you’re a person of faith.  But when the spiritual path becomes routine, when we start to see rules rather than a relationship, when we’re mailing it in and just going through the motions – that’s when we’re most likely to quit.

Moments or seasons of trial or triumph are not the ordinary stuff of life.  I think 98% of us spend 98% of our time somewhere in between.  That’s why dry spells can be dangerous.  Boredom is the mother of apathy.  That’s true in your relationship with God just as it’s true in your relationships with your spouse, children and friends.

Maybe I’m thinking and writing about this because I’ve hit a plateau in my quest to lose weight.  I’ve only lost about six lbs. this month.  That’s the least amount of weight I’ve lost in a month since I started this journey – I actually averaged 23 lbs. a month for my first three months!

So, should I be alarmed?  Am I afraid of backsliding and going back to my old ways?

Absolutely not.

If you’ve read any of the diet plans I’ve mentioned before – Atkins, South Beach, The Zone, etc. – you know that most of them talk about the reality of plateaus. 

When I lost 69 lbs. in my first three months of this journey I knew I wouldn’t and shouldn’t keep losing weight at that pace – it would have been impractical and unhealthy.

Seven months ago I would have had serious doubts that I could stick with this long enough to even have to worry about plateaus.  Which is why reaching one feels sort of cool – it actually represents a milestone.

If I wouldn’t have stayed on track for this long I never would have reached a plateau.  My plateau is actually a sign of my progress.

If you’re at a plateau or in a dry spell right now – in your career, your marriage, your walk with Jesus – don’t despair and don’t quit.

The fact that you’re aware of your dry spell means you’re paying attention, which puts you in a fairly high percentile on the Spiritual Aptitude Test.  If you need to make some corrections, seek some forgiveness or mend some fences – What are you waiting for?

When God gets your attention you realize you always have his.  I’m praying for rain.