Wake-Up Call
"After saying these things, he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.’" - John 11:11
There’s a kind of heaviness that can sneak into your soul. You might not be living in obvious rebellion, but things feel dull, lifeless, maybe even numb. The fire you once had has faded. You show up, go through the motions, but deep down you know something’s off. You wouldn’t say you're dead, but you’re definitely not fully alive either. That’s exactly how Jesus described the condition of Lazarus. Not dead, just asleep.
Spiritual sleep is subtle. It doesn't show up in one dramatic moment. It creeps in quietly. You start missing time in the Word. Prayer becomes a checklist, if it happens at all. Church feels routine instead of life-giving. You coast instead of pursue. And the enemy would love for you to stay there, stuck in a kind of spiritual coma. But Jesus isn’t content to let you sleep through your calling. He speaks the same words to you that He once spoke to Jairus’s daughter, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
God has always been in the business of waking people up. The Bible is full of moments when God interrupted someone’s slumber to do something new. And when Jesus speaks life over you, it’s not just to bring you back to the same old patterns. It’s to lead you into something greater. A new level of purpose. A deeper level of intimacy. A bolder level of obedience.
Maybe you’ve been feeling like something is dying inside of you. Maybe passion is gone, joy is low, or clarity has faded. But what if that feeling isn’t the end? What if it’s the signal that Jesus is standing beside you, ready to wake you up again?
You’re not too far gone. You’re not too broken. You’re not dead. Just asleep. And He’s calling you to rise.
There’s a kind of heaviness that can sneak into your soul. You might not be living in obvious rebellion, but things feel dull, lifeless, maybe even numb. The fire you once had has faded. You show up, go through the motions, but deep down you know something’s off. You wouldn’t say you're dead, but you’re definitely not fully alive either. That’s exactly how Jesus described the condition of Lazarus. Not dead, just asleep.
Spiritual sleep is subtle. It doesn't show up in one dramatic moment. It creeps in quietly. You start missing time in the Word. Prayer becomes a checklist, if it happens at all. Church feels routine instead of life-giving. You coast instead of pursue. And the enemy would love for you to stay there, stuck in a kind of spiritual coma. But Jesus isn’t content to let you sleep through your calling. He speaks the same words to you that He once spoke to Jairus’s daughter, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”
God has always been in the business of waking people up. The Bible is full of moments when God interrupted someone’s slumber to do something new. And when Jesus speaks life over you, it’s not just to bring you back to the same old patterns. It’s to lead you into something greater. A new level of purpose. A deeper level of intimacy. A bolder level of obedience.
Maybe you’ve been feeling like something is dying inside of you. Maybe passion is gone, joy is low, or clarity has faded. But what if that feeling isn’t the end? What if it’s the signal that Jesus is standing beside you, ready to wake you up again?
You’re not too far gone. You’re not too broken. You’re not dead. Just asleep. And He’s calling you to rise.
Subscribe Now for Daily Devotionals
Recent
Archive
2025
July
What Are You Hiding From?Where Worry GrowsWhere Security Really Comes FromChange What You’re Looking AtAnswer the Right QuestionsWhere Are You Looking?Go to the Right WellLet Go of the GripQuit Trying to Outmuscle WorryRunning on EmptyWhen “Lord” is Just a WordDig Deeper Before the StormWhen the Work Feels Too HardThe Slow Work That LastsWhat Were You ThinkingDo You Trust Him?Not Everything Sweet is SafeSay It or Show ItMore Than a NameThe Weight Behind the WordsThe Cost of CommitmentMore Than Good IntentionsThe Neighbor You’re BecomingWhat Are You Known ForSlow Down and See ThemEyes to See, Time to StopWhat Comes FirstMercy MovesWho Are You Really After?The Right Name, the Wrong HeartPower Matters
August
Living a Life That Makes People Ask WhyWhen Your Life Makes No SenseWhen Normal Isn’t the GoalThe Right Kind of QuestionableWhen Motives Get MisunderstoodThere’s a Bigger Story at WorkWhen They Question Your WhyWhen Your Way Gets QuestionedWhen Obedience Breaks ExpectationsWhose Glory Are You Seeking?When the Cross Seems QuestionableBless Someone TodayA Little Can Bless a LotThe Power in Just Showing UpWhen Obedience Doesn’t Make SenseMore Than EnoughThe Beauty of Broken ThingsProtecting the Wrong ThingThe Danger of Misplaced EffortWhat Are You Trading?The First Trade You Must MakePick Up What Matters MostLet Go to GainThe Cost of the CastleTrade the Gavel for GraceThe Exchange That Changes EverythingThe Bold AskWhat Do You Want?Ask With the Right HeartDesire Isn’t EnoughTotal Dependence
September
The Gospel at the TableKnow Him to Show HimSent People Live Sent LivesConnection at the TableWhen the Word Comes BackSent for a ReasonWhen the Word is FoundThe Power of the TableSent but Still SittingA Table That Changes EverythingOne Day Can Change EverythingWhen Obedience is UncomfortableRunning Never WorksSing AnywayGod RenewsUndeniableThe Power of PresenceThe Word RenewsTime for a Heart CheckWhere Renewal BeginsThe Mind You FeedGod Relates to YouWhen Jesus Comes to the TableUnashamedForged in the OrdinaryLet It Challenge YouHold On Without WaveringThe Narrow DoorGod RescuesUnafraid

No Comments