After the past year we’ve had with the very real effects of COVID, I’m wondering. have our spiritual tools become dull?

Most of us avoid using dull tools to accomplish our work. If you’ve ever tried cutting a piece of wood with a rusty saw, or snipping a vine with a blunt pair of clippers you know using dull tools requires extra work and extra time. Work that could be avoided if proper care was given to the tool beforehand.

Those who cut out fabric to sew a garment usually guard their sewing shears with a vengeance. Sewing shears are not to be used to cut paper. The fastest way to blunt a pair of scissors is to cut paper with them. Or worse. Cut open a plastic bag. (Speaking to my family here.)

In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon spoke of planning ahead. He advised keeping our axe sharpened before it became dull. Smart advice. I’ve not had much experience chopping wood with an axe, but I have thrown dull axes at wooden targets. From that experience, I can attest to how inefficient a dull axe is.

We may not own an axe or throw them at targets, but what about the spiritual areas of our life? Have we grown lax, and allowed our spiritual tools to become dull?

With the recent social distancing protocols in place, we may have slacked off in our church attendance. Virtual or otherwise. I know I did.

As things begin to return to the way they used to be, this is a great time to get with other believers and worship together.

Along with getting back in church, do we need to make the extra effort to join a Bible study group?

Studying God’s word on our own is important and necessary. However, when we discuss Scripture with others, we often gain insights we might miss when we study on our own.

If we’ve stopped reading our Bible on a regular basis, now is as good a time as any to get back in the habit.

Has our spiritual tool of prayer become dull? I am so grateful for those in my life who come alongside and pray for me. I am also grateful for people God places in my path to pray for.

Meeting together with other believers, group Bible study, and daily Scripture reading are all important spiritual tools we need to keep sharp. For me, though, praying and being prayed for is one spiritual tool I don’t ever want to let become dull.

Have our spiritual tools become dull? If so, let’s get busy sharpening them to be more effective for God’s work.

As Solomon said, it is smarter to plan ahead and keep our tools sharpened so we don’t have to work harder to use them.

What ways have you found to keep your spiritual tools from becoming dull?

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If your ax is dull and you don’t sharpen it, you have to work harder to use it. It is smarter to plan ahead. Ecclesiastes 10:10 (GNT)

You can find my July Inspire a Fire post here. Please stop by and read it.

I wish you well.

Sandy

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Photo by Mathias P.R. Reding on Unsplash