If Your Faith Was A Sponge

by Carol Ellison

Imagine your faith is a sponge. Not a stiff, brand-new one right out of the package, but a well-worn sponge that's been sitting in the dishwater for a very, very long time. For those of us who have known Jesus our entire lives, we can easily fall into a state of spiritual lukewarmness. Our faith isn't completely dry; it's still damp. But it's not truly saturated either. It’s been sitting in the same old, tepid water for so long that it's no longer absorbing anything new.

We know the Bible stories. We can recite the verses. We’ve been to countless services, Bible studies, and retreats. The foundation of our faith is solid, but somewhere along the way, we stopped actively pressing in, stopped wringing out the old to make room for the new, and settled for a passive existence. We are no longer drinking deeply from the well of Living Water; we are merely damp.

Paul warns us about this very thing. In Hebrews 5:12-14, he writes, “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You have come to need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” 

Paul is talking to us, the lifelong believers. The ones who have been "in the water" for decades. He is challenging us to move beyond the baby food of our faith—the gentle teachings, the familiar stories—and to hunger for the solid food of righteousness. He's asking us, "Are you still just damp, or are you truly saturated?"

A lukewarm faith is a dangerous place to be. It can feel comfortable, safe even. But comfort can be the enemy of growth. Jesus' words in Revelation 3:15-16 are a powerful wake-up call to us still today: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”

This is not the time to be lukewarm. This is a season for bold faith, for a life that is so saturated with the Holy Spirit that it can’t help but be squeezed out onto a thirsty world.

So, how do we get out of the lukewarm water?

• Wring out the old: What stale habits, old mindsets, or spiritual comforts are preventing you from growing? It’s time to squeeze them out and make room.

•  Move to the source: Don’t just sit in the water; go to the faucet. Go to the Word of God with a fresh hunger. Don't just read it - ask the Holy Spirit to reveal new truths.

• Press in to be saturated: Be intentional. Seek out opportunities for spiritual growth that challenge you. Engage in prayer that is more than a simple request. Step out in faith, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Sisters, the world around us is in desperate need of a bold, saturated faith. It needs to see a faith that is not just damp, but dripping with the love, power, and truth of Christ. It's time to put away the baby food and feast on the solid truths of God’s Word. It's time to wake up, get out of the tepid water, and become a drenched sponge overflowing with God's Spirit and ready to pour out His life onto a parched world.