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How do you pull out of a spiritual funk?


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#1 Revdavid

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Posted 24 September 2010 - 12:24 PM

Some days I find myself in a sort of a spiritual funk! Wondering what you all do when your feelings get in the way of sensing God's Presence. :wacko:
In Christ our Healer,
Pastor David

#2 thirstydeer

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Posted 24 September 2010 - 10:58 PM

Some days I find myself in a sort of a spiritual funk! Wondering what you all do when your feelings get in the way of sensing God's Presence. :wacko:


At least you have felt God's presence.. some haven't even had that.. ugh.

I came across this website looking up Tozer.. so this is the type of church he pastored?

#3 Revdavid

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Posted 25 September 2010 - 04:56 AM

Yes Pastor Tozer was a Missionary Alliance Pastor. Though I am thinking his church was alive and filled with Joy more than in a funk. Hope my topic did't color your opinion in a bad way. Thirsty deer!
In Christ our Healer,
Pastor David

#4 Travis Richey

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Posted 25 September 2010 - 06:43 AM

David,

This subject has come up in a few different places for me lately. I have turned to Psalm 77 as one place to find comfort and a way out of the "funk":

"I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered you, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. Selah

You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" Selah

Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?"

At times when God seems distant, and I feel unspiritual and deserted as the Psalmist here does, then I try to find this writer's remedy and find time to remember what the Lord has done and to meditate on Who He Is, and Has Been, and Will Always Be. Do not limit yourself to only what He has done for you in the past, but celebrate all that He has done for so many others. I believe that is where we lose out on a lot of Power, we don't testify and celebrate the Deeds of the Lord. It is in Revelation 12 that we read, "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony."

May the Lord of Comfort Bless you and guide you in all that you do.

#5 Brian Rushfeldt

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Posted 25 September 2010 - 07:07 AM

Hi Rev David,

I have those times - and cannot even explain why. One thing I have come to terms with is, they happen and I no longer battle it. I accept that something is happening in me BUT I know that God has not distanced Himself. He is still near to me and I just rest in that assurance. I have a couple of close frineds I share my "trials" with - one my wife and a man.

One thing though that also helps most I think is I will NOT quit having my meditation time each morning - even when I feel lousy. It seems during my funk I get nothing from that dicipline but later, I often find that was a time God actually did something in me that I did not even recognize at the moment.

God - grant David a peace in the midst of the funk - prove You are still right there.

#6 thirstydeer

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Posted 25 September 2010 - 02:39 PM

Yes Pastor Tozer was a Missionary Alliance Pastor. Though I am thinking his church was alive and filled with Joy more than in a funk. Hope my topic did't color your opinion in a bad way. Thirsty deer!


Not at all :-)

#7 Revdavid

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Posted 28 September 2010 - 11:43 AM

The funk has passed! :D HALLELUJAH!!!!
In Christ our Healer,
Pastor David

#8 Nancy I Voght

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Posted 29 September 2010 - 09:53 AM

When nothing else helps, I start singing every hymn/praise song I can remember. Often times, without thinking the song starts forming in my heart and I sing, "My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine. For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou. If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

I like to keep a songbook near my Bible. My favorite is an old one, "Love Reaching....God's Love for Us, Our Love for God, Our Love for the Family of God, Our Love for Others." I don't know if it is still in print. The ISBN is 0-89477-001-2 and was published by Paragon Associates, Inc of Nashville, TN. I found it on a "take one free" cart in a library.

#9 Merilyn Lauffer

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Posted 30 September 2010 - 12:20 PM

I am not sure there is just one reason why we get in a "funk" or if there is a prescription for the way out. Sometimes God allows us to go through these times so that we trust Him alone and not the feeling or any thing else (see Himself by AB Simpson). I am thankful Rev. David, that you are on the otherside of it!

Nevertheless, in my recent studies have taken me to Romans 8. There I was reminded that if our mindset is on the flesh, it is death. Can you imagine living among corpses? That would put anyone in a funk or even depression. But if our mindset is on the spirit, it is life and peace. I have had to examine myself. What are the things I think about? What am I dwelling on? To where does my mind wonder or race in the wee hours of the night? Then I remembered the verse in Phil 2:5, Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. We can have the mind of Christ! Now when I wake during the night and my mind races, I pray, Let the same mind be in me that was also in Jesus. When I find my thoughts going down unhealthy rabbit trails, I gird up the loins of my mind (I Peter 1:13) and ask for the mind of Christ. In the Alliance we believe in the Lord for the Body (The Children's Bread, Keith Bailey). Let's believe in the Lord for the mind as well!

#10 Patty

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Posted 07 October 2010 - 06:35 PM

When nothing else helps, I start singing every hymn/praise song I can remember. Often times, without thinking the song starts forming in my heart and I sing, "My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine. For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou. If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now."

I like to keep a songbook near my Bible. My favorite is an old one, "Love Reaching....God's Love for Us, Our Love for God, Our Love for the Family of God, Our Love for Others." I don't know if it is still in print. The ISBN is 0-89477-001-2 and was published by Paragon Associates, Inc of Nashville, TN. I found it on a "take one free" cart in a library.



#11 Patty

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Posted 07 October 2010 - 06:38 PM

Nancy,
I enjoyed reading your response about singing. That is the same hymn that brings me out of the doldrums. It has since I was a little girl...my dad was a CMA pastor for his whole ministry, until 1985, and "My Jesus, I Love Thee" was a song we sang often in church. It has been years since I have been to any church that uses a hymnal anymore, especially the old ones like that, but I still hum it to myself and sing it when I am feeling lonely or low.

#12 Guest_Marvin Harrell_*

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Posted 08 October 2010 - 07:13 AM

Nancy,
I enjoyed reading your response about singing. That is the same hymn that brings me out of the doldrums. It has since I was a little girl...my dad was a CMA pastor for his whole ministry, until 1985, and "My Jesus, I Love Thee" was a song we sang often in church. It has been years since I have been to any church that uses a hymnal anymore, especially the old ones like that, but I still hum it to myself and sing it when I am feeling lonely or low.

I recall some of the old hymns my grandmother used to sing. She lived to be 100 years old, and at times in church when we sing one of those songs, I can just see her belting it out. Often I'll feel down but remember those precious times and God uses it to lift me out of that funk! Praise God for that legacy.