By: D. A. Slinkard
Sometimes I believe I did not move far enough south. The weather in Alabama can be so confusing—one week we are bundling up from a cold snap, and the next we are stepping outside to sunshine and warm spring air.
As the seasons began to change and everything started coming back to life, it got me thinking. In the winter, when things grow cold, we naturally adjust—we turn up the thermostat, we add layers, we respond to the environment. But what about when things begin to warm up outside, yet something inside of us still feels dormant?
Spring is a season of renewal. Flowers begin to bloom, trees regain their leaves, and life that once looked dead begins to show signs of growth again. But what happens when we notice that, while everything around us is coming alive, we are still spiritually or internally stagnant?
I am reminded of the words of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation 3:15–16, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
This can apply to every area of life—our spiritual walk, our relationships, our work. There are seasons when we are not burning with passion the way we once were. We are not completely cold, but we are far from being on fire. We become comfortable in a lukewarm state.
Spring reminds us that growth requires intention. Just because the season changes does not mean everything automatically flourishes. Some things must be pruned. Some things must be planted. Some things must be cultivated with care.
The truth is that you know when something inside of you has changed. Others may not see it right away, but you do. When your passion fades, when your focus drifts, when your desire weakens—you recognize it. Yet many people continue living in that condition, settling for a lukewarm life.
We wonder why there is so much struggle, why there is so little progress—and often it is because we have grown comfortable with just getting by. We have lost that internal fire. What once burned with purpose now sits idle.
But just like spring calls everything back to life, there must come a moment when we decide to come alive again.
We will all face seasons where moving forward feels difficult. But growth does not happen by accident; it happens by decision. You must decide to wake up spiritually. You must decide to pursue growth. You must decide to cultivate what matters most.
So what should you do if you find yourself in a rut? First, be honest with yourself. No one knows your life better than you do. Identify the areas where you have become stagnant. Acknowledge where growth has stopped. Ignoring those areas will not fix them—it will only delay the moment you are forced to confront them.
What has helped me is to make a list of the areas that matter most—spiritually, relationally, and personally. Then, one by one, I evaluate them honestly. Where have I stopped growing? Where have I lost focus? Where have I allowed things to drift?
Spring is the perfect time to do this kind of evaluation. Once you identify those areas, it is time to take action. Growth requires effort. Renewal requires intention. You cannot expect change without doing something different.
This is not something to rush through. If you truly want to see change, take your time and be thorough. And when you know what needs to be done, do not delay. Just like a garden will not grow without care, your life will not flourish without attention. No one else can cultivate your life for you. No one else can make your decisions for you. The responsibility is yours. So as everything around you begins to bloom this spring, make the decision to grow as well.
Will it be an easy task to accomplish? Absolutely not… and if it was easy then everyone would be doing it. Our focus needs to be on becoming the best version of ourselves. Our competition is not other people, but our goal should be to become better than who we were the day before. Even if I can just make a 1% improvement daily, after ten days that would put me at 10% better than I was. Take the one percent challenge and see how your life changes.
By: D. A. Slinkard
D.A. Slinkard would love your feedback. You can contact him at da.slinkard@gmail.com
