This is part of my year-long series exploring human-centered alternatives to the spiritual promises in Oswald Chambers’ classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest. Today’s entry, “The Spiritual Sluggard”, promises that believers can overcome “spiritual sluggishness” through community encouragement and “Christ-realization,” claiming that true spirituality involves actively engaging with life’s injustices and difficulties rather than retreating into prayer and Bible study for comfort.
Here’s what avoiding spiritual sluggishness through constant engagement actually delivered:
“Don’t retreat into comfortable Bible study,” his mentor warned firmly. “The test of your spirituality is engaging with injustice and turmoil. You need Christ-realization, not self-realization. Let others stir you up for spiritual activity.”
Pastor Michael felt increasingly drained by his congregation’s constant conflicts and complaints, but spiritual guidance demanded he push through rather than step back. Avoiding spiritual sluggishness meant staying engaged with every crisis, every criticism, every church conflict as opportunities for spiritual growth.
Michael forced himself to remain engaged despite growing exhaustion. When church members criticized his sermons, he saw it as spiritual testing. When board meetings devolved into personal attacks, he interpreted it as opportunity for Christ-realization. When families left over petty disagreements, he viewed it as a call to greater spiritual initiative.
For months, Michael avoided what Chambers called “spiritual sluggishness” by refusing to step back and assess the situation objectively. He didn’t seek counseling or take sabbatical time, viewing such self-care as spiritual retreat. He continued forcing himself into the “rough-and-tumble” of church conflict, believing this demonstrated authentic spirituality.
But the promised spiritual vitality was a devastating lie.
Instead of manifesting the life of Jesus Christ, Michael developed severe anxiety and depression. His marriage suffered as he brought constant stress home. His children began avoiding him because he was always irritable and overwhelmed. The spiritual engagement that was supposed to energize him was destroying his capacity to function.
Meanwhile, his friend Pastor Sarah approached ministry burnout with zero expectation of spiritual breakthroughs through constant engagement. When Sarah recognized signs of compassion fatigue, she didn’t interpret it as spiritual failure requiring more activity. She sought professional counseling, took a planned sabbatical, worked with her board to establish healthier boundaries.
Sarah’s approach included exactly what Chambers warned against—stepping back from immediate ministry demands to gain perspective and restore emotional resources. She used prayer and reflection not to stir herself up for more activity but to process experiences and regain balance.
When Michael finally collapsed from exhaustion and was hospitalized for stress-related symptoms, he realized his spiritual approach had been destroying rather than building his capacity for ministry.
Where was the Christ-realization that was supposed to energize him through difficult engagement? Where was the spiritual vitality that constant activity was meant to produce?
Sarah’s supposedly “sluggish” approach of self-care and professional boundaries had actually sustained her ability to serve others long-term while Michael’s spiritual engagement had burned him out completely.
The breakthrough came when Michael stopped interpreting self-care as spiritual failure and started treating ministry as sustainable work requiring rest, reflection, and professional development.
The silence where spiritual vitality was supposed to flow through constant engagement revealed the truth: there was no divine energy for endless spiritual activity. Only human limits that required respect and care to maintain long-term effectiveness.
Reflection Question: When has taking time for self-care and reflection been more sustainable than forcing yourself to remain constantly engaged with difficult situations?
This story is part of my upcoming book “The Undevoted: Daily Departures from Divine Dependence,” which offers 365 human-centered alternatives to the spiritual certainties in Chambers’ devotional. Each day explores how reason, community, and human resilience can address life’s challenges without requiring divine intervention.
God or Delusion? 