Stay Engaged
READ
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose steam? You start something with enthusiasm—a new routine, a spiritual practice, a commitment to a relationship—and for a while, you're all in. But then life gets busy. The newness wears off. The effort feels harder than it did at first. And before you know it, you're lagging. You're going through the motions. The fire has dimmed.
Let’s take a moment to read Romans 12:11a:
"Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit"
REFLECT
Paul knows our tendency to lose heart and give up. That's why he tells us: don't lag in zeal. Be ardent in spirit. Keep the fire burning. Stay engaged. Don't let yourself drift into autopilot.
But here's the question: How? How do we keep zeal alive when life is exhausting? How do we stay ardent when we're tired, distracted, or disappointed? How do we sustain devotion over the long haul when enthusiasm naturally fades?
The answer isn't "try harder." It's not about gritting your teeth and forcing yourself to feel passionate. Because here's the thing: you can't manufacture zeal. You can't create spiritual fervor out of sheer willpower. Zeal has a source. Devotion has a source. And that source is not you.
Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 that our devotion is a response to "the mercies of God." Before he ever talks about what we should do, he talks about what God has done. He reminds us that God's love comes first. God's kindness. God's mercy. God's grace. Our devotion doesn't create God's love—it responds to it.
So when you feel your zeal fading, when your devotion feels more like duty than delight, the answer isn't to beat yourself up or work harder. The answer is to return to the source. To remember who God is and what He's done. To let His love rekindle the fire in you.
Think about the times when you've felt most alive in your faith. Chances are, it wasn't because you were trying really hard. It was because you encountered God in some real way. Maybe in worship. Maybe in Scripture. Maybe in a moment of prayer when you felt truly seen and loved. Maybe through the kindness of another person who showed you grace when you didn't deserve it.
That's what fuels zeal. Not obligation. Not shame. Not the pressure to perform. But love. Real, genuine, unearned love.
So today, if your spiritual life feels like a chore, if you're lagging in zeal, don't start by trying to do more. Start by remembering more. Remember what God has done for you. Remember the moments when His love felt real. Remember the ways He's shown up, provided, comforted, forgiven, restored. Let those mercies be the fuel that reignites your devotion.
Because here's the truth: sustained devotion doesn't come from you being amazing. It comes from God being faithful. And He is. Every single day.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
When have you felt most alive and engaged in your relationship with God? What made that season different?
What "mercies of God" can you remember right now that might reignite your zeal?
Where in your life are you trying to manufacture devotion through effort instead of letting it flow from love?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
God, I confess that I can't create zeal on my own. When my devotion feels like duty instead of delight, remind me of Your love. Help me remember the ways You've been faithful, the mercies You've shown, the grace You've given. Let Your love be the source of my devotion, not my own effort. Amen.