Blog Swap: How to Keep Your Fire Burning

Hiya! Today I’m doing a blog swap, which means I’m posting an article on my fellow writer Eliana Duran’s blog, Eliana the Writer, and her article is posted on mine! Exciting, right?

So, without further ado, here’s her amazing article!

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Fires can be big and uncontrollable. They can burn down buildings and consume forests. We’ve all heard about particularly horrible fires, like the Camp Fire, and how easily they grew big and hot, and how they destroyed so many trees, homes, and even lives. All it takes is a spark.

But have you ever built a campfire (lower caps)? Starting a small fire can almost seem as hard as stopping a big one! Fires are fragile. They need to be carefully fed fuel and protected from cold breezes. They need oxygen, and too much wood can easily suffocate them. They need to be sparked (a hard task in itself) and tenderly cared for. 

Keeping your spiritual fire going is also a difficult, delicate, deliberate process. We are going to talk about how to do that, but first off, what do I mean by spiritual fire?

Well, in the Bible, the word “fire” is used to describe a number of things, like God’s presence, His judgment, or His purification. This isn’t really what I mean by fire.

But, Jesus does mention “light” quite a bit.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (ESV)

And Jesus wasn’t talking about light bulbs. Back then, they used oil lamps for light, lit with a flame. The light of life is a fire in our souls.

Christians have developed a new definition for “fire” more recently, and it is similar to how Jesus uses “light”. You may have noticed it making an appearance in contemporary Christian music. “Start a Fire” by Unspoken, “Soul on Fire” by Third Day, “Fight On, Fighter” by for KING & COUNTRY, “All In” by Matthew West, “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective, and “On Fire” by Sanctus Real—just to name a few of many songs.

I define spiritual fire, this metaphorical fire in every Christian’s soul, as a passion for Christ– which is a direct result of the Holy Spirit living in you. It burns most brightly when we are excited about Jesus and living to glorify God. Sometimes it starts to fade a bit. We know that feelings don’t save us, and it is to be expected there will be seasons like that in every Christian’s life. But the fire will never go out.

Like I said before, keeping your fire going is a difficult, delicate, deliberate process. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Combustion Triangle: oxygen, heat, and fuel. They are what keeps a physical fire going. Here I’m going to share three things you can do to help keep your spiritual fire going.

1. Renew your awe of God

Awe of God is like oxygen. Without it, the fire suffocates.

Sometimes we forget how big God is, how powerful He is, how holy He is, and how amazing His love is. We get all caught up in the bustle of work, school, our precious downtime, etc, and we forget. 

Just take a moment, and pause your nonstop doing.

Reflect on God’s Truth. Meditate on Jesus’ sacrifice. Breathe. Look around. All of creation testifies how awesome our God is! 

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

Exodus 15:11 (ESV)

And just think—the God who made the tiniest molecules and holds them together, the God who painted the entire universe and everything you know, He’s your Father. He has adopted you as His child. He loves you. How can you not love Him back?

2. Rise and worship

Don’t just sit there. Get up and worship Jesus! Worship heats our fires up. So, whether you praise Him through singing, dancing, speaking, or anything else, do it for Him. 

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

Different people worship in different ways, but singing is one very effective way to get your fire going. Turn the volume up loud and belt out your favorite song about Christ’s love as you wash the dishes. Hum a hymn and really think about the words. Listen to a Christian radio station on your way to work. Whether you have a good singing voice or not, worship!

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

Psalm 105:2 (ESV)

3. Remember to keep the communication open

I can’t think of a faster way to kill your fire than to give your Father the cold shoulder. Earthly relationships can’t survive without communication, and neither can your relationship with God. 

So don’t skip your Bible reading, and don’t forget to pray. When your fire is going dim, that’s when we need the Word and prayer the most. 

The Bible is how God speaks to us. It is our spiritual food.

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4 (ESV)

And prayer is how we talk to God. Open up and tell Him your troubles, your fears, your hopes and desires. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

So, renew your awe of God, rise and worship, and remember to keep the communication open. Doing these things helps us keep our fires burning. But as you care for your fire, make sure you don’t forget this: it is all about God. It is not about making yourself look good or feel better, it is about giving God the glory. It is about loving God. It is about praising Him, and fearing Him. He is the one who puts your fire in you.

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Wasn’t that great? Now, if you want to read my article, “You Don’t Need to Be Strong”, head over to her blog!

Did you feel like your spiritual fire has been fading? What are you going to do to rekindle it this week?

Also, should I do more blog swaps like this?