Slumber Pits

Sleep. Necessary and wonderful, this little phenomenon wields power in all our lives. If we get too much of it, we become lazy and lethargic. Not enough and we’re moping around to the nearest caffeine pump. Some of us sleep to live; others live to sleep.
We do strange things in our sleep. Dreams and nightmares frequent our rest—minds engaged, yet resting ironically. Involuntary movement meanders its way into our nights as well. For some spouses, this leaves much to be desired. The occasional kick, right hook, smother-with-pillow move and others leave our spouses praying coma-like hibernation upon us.
Others sleep-walk. This is a freakish oddity of some sleepers. To my knowledge, I’ve never been caught up in this quirk, but I know several who have. Operating as though awake—walking, dressing, opening doors, and talking--while being asleep??? Unnerving.
Unfortunately, this is where many Christians camp in our faith. Oh we look alive and do everything to make sure others think so. We dress the part (no midriff or low tops, please!), do the do (church, check; devos, check; tithe, check), and talk the talk (“how ya doing, brother?” “God be with you, son”), but all the while, we’re asleep. Functioning as a Christian, yet consumed by a pit of slumber.
Here’s a diagnostic questionnaire to gauge your faith awakeness:
1) When’s the last time you just sat and enjoyed the presence of God?

1. Yesterday
2. Last week
3. Last month
4. Don’t remember

2) When’s the last time you prayed without the context of a meal? (No, “please let me have that parking space” doesn’t count)

1.  Today
2. A couple days ago
3. A couple weeks ago
4. Not sure

3) What is the last behavior, thought, action, etc He’s convicted you about? When was it?

1. Today
2. This week
3. A couple weeks ago
4. Don’t remember

4) What’s the most recent characteristic/attribute He’s revealed about Himself to you? When was it?

1. Today
2. This week
3. A couple weeks ago
4. Don’t remember

5) When is the last time your spontaneously praised Him? Or prayed without asking Him for anything?

1. Today
2. This week
3. A couple weeks ago
4. Not sure.

If your responses camped out in the A’s and B’s, congrats! You’re awake! If you leaned toward the C’s and D’s, you’re at risk of slumber pitness.
So how do we emerge from our slumber pits? There’s good news and bad news.
The bad news is that we can’t wake ourselves up. Just like we can’t save ourselves, pits of slumber cannot be broken from within. God has to reach down and wake us up to His glory. The only thing we bring to salvation is the sin that makes salvation necessary. Same concept with slumber pitness. The only contribution we make to our awakening is the reason we need it in the first place.
The good news, however, is that God WANTS us to wake up! He doesn’t want us to be a sleep-walking Christians—functioning physically, but slumbering on the inside. He desires us to thrive—to be fueled and ready to take on the world for Christ.
Awaking from our slumber pits ONLY happens when we:
1) Realize that we are, in fact, in slumber
2) Pray earnestly for Him to rescue us from our pit!
That’s a prayer He will answer. Beg Him for it. Pray in accordance with 2 Thessalonians 1:11
We pray always that our God will count us worthy of our calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in us, and we in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We exist for Him—to know Him and make Him known. That can’t happen if we’re sleeping! Time to wake up!