The goal of all Christian instruction is love for God and neighbors (1 Tim. 1.5). In all our time, through all our activities we want to demonstrate that Jesus really is alive, really lives in us, and really rules the world unto the glory of God. Everything about us – how we relate to others, do our work, participate in culture, and so forth – will show the hope we have in Jesus by honoring and glorifying God (1 Pet. 3.15; 1 Cor. 10.31).

Interruptions

But our demonstration of the spiritual life will not be without interruptions. From time to time in the spiritual life our little vessels of faith sail into the doldrums. We find ourselves becalmed; the wind of the Spirit flags, our spiritual sails droop, and we’re not making any progress in the life of faith.

At such times it may well be that something has worked its way into our lives that has no business there – some distraction from our focus, or, worse, some sin blinding our vision and sapping our strength. These times can come upon us suddenly and last for extended seasons – what some have referred to as the “dark night of the soul.”

It’s best, in pursuing the spiritual life, to take time on a regular basis to detox our systems of any foreign or unwelcome substances that can keep us from making progress in the Lord. Spiritual detoxing is a way of depending on the Lord and demonstrating our trust in Him so that we can move from the doldrums of faith back into the steady wind of God’s Spirit.

Detox disciplines

Here we must learn to use the disciplines of solitude, confession, and repentance.

Let’s start with solitude. The Lord Jesus understood the value of being alone with His Father for extended seasons. Not that He ever needed cleansing from any sin; however, His course of life was a difficult slog, and He often retreated to mountains or desert places where He could be alone to reflect, listen, and commune with God.

Such times of “getting away with the Lord” can be renewing for us as well, and can provide an opportunity for detoxing our spiritual systems of any sin or neglect that may cause us to hit the doldrums.

While the practice of extended seasons of solitude may be only infrequent in our lives, the practice of confession and repentance will be needed almost every day.

We are redeemed by the grace of the Lord, but we must never forget that we are sinners still (1 Jn. 1.8-10). We continue to sin, frequently ignore the Lord or deny His leading, and are prone to revert to the ways of the world that we loved so well before we knew Jesus Christ. Confession and repentance are the way to detox our souls.

In confession we listen as the Spirit of God searches our hearts and minds for affections, thoughts, ideas, or attitudes that may not be pleasing to God; or as He brings to mind things we’ve said or done – or failed to do – that we will need to amend. When the Spirit convicts us of sin, our task is to agree with Him – the meaning of the Greek word, “confess” – and then to repent and chart a course of good thoughts, attitudes, or works to replace the wicked ones He has brought to light.

Time alone with the Lord can lead to cleansing experiences of confession. But confession must lead to repentance as we depend on the Lord’s forgiveness and leading, and move to demonstrate our desire and determination to live for Him once again.

Thus, through confession and repentance we detox our spiritual lives of debilitating influences and are established once again on the course God has chosen for our lives. This discipline will always be necessary in the spiritual life, so we should learn to practice it often and well.

Next steps

How can believers help one another in these “detox disciplines”? Talk with a few of your Christian friends about this question.

Additional Resources

Download this week’s study, Dynamics of the Spirtual Life.

Sign up for ViewPoint Leaders Training and start your own ViewPoint discussion group.

The spiritual life begins and ends in the vision of Christ. T. M.’s book, Be Thou My Vision, provides a helpful series of meditations on the Lord in glory. It’s available by clicking here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.