Breaking Out of the Doldrums

Pastor McGriffin taught a two part lesson on "Breaking Out of the Doldrums" the past two Tuesday nights.  His text was Deuteronomy 2:1-3  "Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the Lord spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.  And the Lord spake unto me, saying, Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward."

The doldrums is a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms, squalls, and light shifting winds.  It can be very dangerous if a ship gets caught without provision.  It was often called a "long sleeper."  A time of no direction, when nothing is happening.  It can be difficult to get out of the doldrums.

The doldrums happen in life as well.  Someone in the doldrums is stuck in their present position, listless, with no forward motion in their life.  Everybody goes there.  The questions to ask:  What causes me to go there? and how long do I stay?

We see the prophet Elijah in the doldrums in 1 Kings 19:4, "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers."

There are three things that can cause the doldrums:

1.  Physical Issues:  Long term illness affects the emotional balance of a person.  When you are physically unable to do all things you use to, you feel stuck.

2.  Emotional Issues:  We are emotional beings.  When we magnify the negative and minimize the positive, we find ourselves in the doldrums.  We need to have our thought patterns examined by the Lord.  We can't let our feelings affect our behavior.

3.  Spiritual Causes:  You can't break out of the doldrums until you choose to do what is Biblically right.  If the source of the problem is spiritual, you will not break out of the doldrums until you break into obedience.  Submit to the will of God.  Satan would like nothing more than to halt your progress.

We must remember that we are walking with God over the long haul.  It is a journey that must be maintained.  Our "status" in the body doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is that we are justified by God, that is the status He sees. 

We must run like a champion - train for it.  We are in a race that requires our commitment and energy.  We must make up our minds we are going forward at all times, not becoming stagnant.  There will be slowdowns, but don't get stuck in the doldrums.

When God brought them out of Egypt, the children of Israel hadn't moved in 430 years.  After they were delivered, they were disobedient and had to wander for 40 years.  Finally, in Deuteronomy chapter 2 the Lord said, "You've been here long enough!"

Don't walk about the mountain forever.  Walk on to the promise land.  Don't move blindly - go northward.  If you camp out too long on one plateau of growth you will end up feeling burned out.  You'll start saying this isn't worth it.  Stay in the doldrums too long and you'll start thinking about going back to Egypt.

The first step to break out of the doldrums is to obtain new direction from God.  Nothing external can help - it must happen from the inside.  You need:

1.  Someone/something to challenge you.  Challenges come from godly people, Bible study, prayer time.
2.  A goal.  Embrace the challenge and set the goal. You're never too old to set goals in your life.
3.  Direction.  Get up from where you are and start moving.  You've got to be moving toward heaven.  You don't need to sprint, just make progress.

Doldrums can also happen when you're in a strange place.  A new situation can intimidate you.  Don't let your geographical location or situation steal your song. If you're in a strange place spiritually, stand tall, hold onto your joy, resolve to sing praises no matter where you are or how strange your circumstances may be.

Romans 13:11 says, "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep..." It's dangerous to fall asleep spiritually.  Wake up!  Run and don't faint.

To break out of the doldrums you can't wait for something to happen to you, something must happen in you.  Tell yourself, "I've passed by this mountain for the last time."  Sing the songs, read the Word, break out of the doldrums.