Quiet Fire Devotional Series | ALIVE: From Striving to Resurrection - From Tired to Alive

Day 1: From Tired to Alive

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…” — Ephesians 2:1 (ESV)

I thought it was fatigue—just the common weariness from life's relentless demands. I told myself I was simply tired from giving too much, from always trying to do the right thing yet still feeling as though something wasn't quite right. But beneath my excuses was a deeper reality:

My soul was utterly drained.

I was faithful at church, said the right prayers, volunteered in all the right places. Yet, honestly, I couldn't remember when I last felt truly alive. It wasn't until I faced the unsettling honesty of Scripture that I began to grasp what was really wrong.

“You were dead in your sins…”

At first, I resisted. Dead felt extreme, too final. Surely my life wasn’t that spiritually desperate. But as those words settled into my spirit, I recognized their truth.

I hadn't openly rebelled or dramatically wandered away. Yet subtly, quietly, my faith had shifted—from grace-dependence to self-reliance, from intimate fellowship to hollow performance, from total surrender to careful control.

I wasn't losing my faith; I was living as though faith had lost its importance.

This is the subtle reality of spiritual death. It doesn't always look like wild rebellion. Often, it's just quiet, routine religiosity that leaves you lifeless.

The Real Problem: It's Not Tiredness—It's Death

Ephesians 2 doesn’t say we were weary; it declares unequivocally that we were dead. And the solution isn’t merely rest—it’s resurrection.

“But God, being rich in mercy… made us alive together with Christ.” — Ephesians 2:4–5

That's the core of the gospel. Jesus didn't come to patch up our problems or simply improve our habits; He came to breathe life into the spiritually lifeless.

You can diligently pray, selflessly serve, and generously give—and still feel spiritually suffocated. Because authentic Christianity is not just about managing behavior; it’s about embracing resurrection life.

Where We Get Stuck: Behavior Over Connection

Our default reaction often involves better disciplines—more prayer, stricter habits, another devotional. But what if discipline isn't the issue? What if it's disconnection?

Disconnection from the One who gives life.

We settle for surviving. But Christ offers vibrant, joy-filled, Spirit-empowered living.

The Invitation: Stop Striving, Start Receiving

You don't need another self-help plan. You need a fresh encounter with grace.

I had to admit something difficult to myself and to God: I was empty, spiritually adrift. It was in that honest, humble moment that grace rushed in like water pouring over cracked, dry ground.

Personal Reflection

Consider this deeply today: Are you merely tired—or spiritually asleep?

Remember Paul’s words:

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." — 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (ESV)

Jesus is not calling you to try harder. He's calling you to wake up.

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” — Ephesians 5:14

From Striving to Resurrection

Today is your invitation to begin anew. Don’t settle for a spiritual patch-job. Choose complete renewal. Choose resurrection. Choose life.