God does not want any of us to become hermits or monks, but many of us have disappeared from the public eye to hibernate into our own little corners. The reality is that we will suffocate in our own little corners and our prayers will be smothered and die.
“The life must be like Christ’s life—between the mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray will soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal routine. When men take themselves out of social life, away from the sphere of Christian duty and cross bearing; when they cease to work earnestly for the Master, who worked earnestly for them, they lose the subject matter of prayer and have no incentive to devotion. Their prayers become personal and selfish. They cannot pray in regard to the wants of humanity or the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom, pleading for strength wherewith to work.” Steps to Christ, 101.
How is your prayer life? Are you sustaining a loss?
“We sustain a loss when we neglect the privilege of associating together to strengthen and encourage one another in the service of God. The truths of His word lose their vividness and importance in our minds. Our hearts cease to be enlightened and aroused by their sanctifying influence, and we decline in spirituality. In our association as Christians we lose much by lack of sympathy with one another. He who shuts himself up to himself is not filling the position that God designed he should. The proper cultivation of the social elements in our nature brings us into sympathy with others and is a means of development and strength to us in the service of God.” Ibid.
What has happened to our spirituality? We need to get out of our comfort zone, open our hearts and move our feet and do the Lord’s work.
Following is good advice in order to be refreshed: “If Christians would associate together, speaking to each other of the love of God and of the precious truths of redemption, their own hearts would be refreshed and they would refresh one another. We may be daily learning more of our heavenly Father, gaining a fresh experience of His grace; then we shall desire to speak of His love; and as we do this, our own hearts will be warmed and encouraged. If we thought and talked more of Jesus, and less of self, we should have far more of His presence.” Ibid., 101, 102.
Heavenly Father: Get me out of my corner of death where I am smothering. I am not allowing Your light to shine through me onto others who are also perishing. My life is losing that distinctive affection and excitement of reaching out to others. Please Lord forgive me; restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation before others perish because of my lack. Help me to live, as Christ did, “between the mountain and the multitude.” Amen.