Nothing was so feared by seamen in the days when ocean vessels were driven by wind and sail as the doldrums. The doldrums is a part of the ocean near the equator, abounding calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds. There the weather is hot and extremely dispiriting. The old sailing vessels, when caught in doldrums, would lie helpless for days and weeks, waiting for the wind to begin to blow.
Does that sound like your life right now? Perhaps it seems you are caught in one of those doldrums and just can’t get moving… and you wonder why God allowed this to happen in your life. WHOA NELLIE>>> “God allowed this to happen in your life??? I believe we need to talk!
First, let me say that doldrums are a result of the dissatisfaction of your flesh…that’s right, you are living by the flesh instead of the Spirit. Your flesh is not receiving those jolts of excitment it is used to having…your flesh is telling the rest of you that it needs some stimulation, motivation, new thrill’s…Many a Christian finds themselves in the doldrums when it comes to life because they have forgotten to disengage the flesh and allow the Spirit to rule and reign. We have placed our flesh ahead of our redeemed man and thus fallen into the trap again… that the works of the flesh will never satisfy a true child of God.
The doldrums are a big reason young families do not attend church services regularly…say what? Yes, many families that begin to have irregular church attendance are merely giving into the flesh (doldrums)… you see, the flesh wants the next church service to be bigger, brighter, louder, creative, different in order to stimulate the lifestyle of flesh living instead of spirit controlled life in Christ. The church service is not however intended to play to your flesh but rather remind each of us that we are to “reckon” the flesh dead and our life…the life of Christ. Church services should bring glory to God.
Let me encourage each of us that when we feel the doldrums creaping into our lives that its not because we aren’t being challenged by God in our walk with Him. No, rather we have crossed over to a flesh driven lifestyle. Remember what the psalmist said, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so…” Psalms 107:1-2a
Have a blessed day and stay away from the doldrums…
Pastor Jeff Beshears
