Years ago, I found my faith running on a nearly dead battery. Warning lights go off, but I pay little attention. Red lights and green all signal that something’s amiss. In what ways?

My reading of the Bible becomes hit-and-miss. Only on good days. Prayer was like begging, or in emergency situations. Church attendance drops off as worship seems stale and a waste of my oh-so valuable time.

Check out Psalm 77, where you’ll find another whose faith seems up against the wall–‘Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’ (Ps. 77: 7-9). See what I mean? No believer wants to stay stuck like this. I didn’t and don’t.

So, what do you do? How can you dig out of this spiritual pit? When you seem to land yourself on a different team than God’s? Not a great feeling to have. Is this the joy of the Lord that He wants for me? And you?

In this psalm, jumper cables can be found, giving an electric boost to our sputtering faith. To get us closer to our God. And be happy again, nestled safe and secure in His loving arms. How? The words ‘remember’, ‘ponder’, and ‘meditate’ send some sparks–‘…Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart’ (Ps. 77: 6).

I haven’t a clue as to why I picked up an old hymnal and started leafing through its pages. I could hardly put it down. I didn’t want to. Kept singing to my heart’s content. Why? What I discovered were wonderful hymns that I loved to sing early in my Christian life, when I was a fresh and excited follower of Jesus, which had almost petered out. Almost.

So, I’d sing to myself all those reassuring songs about salvation, the blood of Jesus, softly and tenderly the Lord loves me, placing my feet squarely at Calvary, thanking Jesus for what He did for me on that old rugged cross. Singing them over and over again, those wonderful words of life. The more I sang, the more my feelings lifted and floated higher and higher. That’s exactly what happened. By the way, I still keep that old hymnal close by just in case.

Whatever way you can draw close to Jesus, do it. Reading more of your Bible daily? Dig in. Talking with a mature and trusted believer who has compassion and more ears than a mouth? Get close and unburden yourself. Find your way back to church, a fellowship where the Bible is preached faithfully? Not a bad idea. But be careful, for not all do.

How about sharing these weekly devotionals with someone else? They may encourage and help them. You think? Could be. That’s my daily prayer.

Again, whatever enables you to get passionate for the Lord Jesus, do it. And remember, don’t forget!

Lord Jesus, draw me closer to you with a fresh excitement that only You can give. Amen.