Going Through the Motions
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A spiritual leader once told me that passion will wane without ritual, but ritual will get you through times without passion. He was discussing whether a burning fire of testimony is necessary to living a good life or not, and his suggestion was that ritual keeps us doing the good things we know that we should do, even when the passion just isn’t there.
In my experience, these same ideas apply to recovery. Of course we all love the moments where the heart comes alive with a real passion for recovery, but there are also the regular rituals that we observe, such as attending meetings and surrendering to an accountability partner, and we are encouraged to keep doing those things even when we don’t want to.
I’ve spent some time wondering if it’s okay when I’m just going through the motions by way of ritual, or if I’m only doing things “right” when I have a burning passion alive in my heart. There’s no question which of those two methods I prefer: burning with passion, but is it okay when I’m not able to reach that place in my heart?
Personally, I think so. It's important to acknowledge that in life, we sometimes lose that spark. If we can only remain faithful when we feel passionate, we risk becoming fairweather disciples. That being said, I don’t believe that we can rely only on ritual. Changes are much more effective when our hearts are fully alive, and the longer we go without experiencing the fire, the more likely that we will fizzle out.
My recommendation, then, is twofold. First, do seek ways to perpetually rekindle that spark inside. Go to places where your heart is likely to come alive. Become familiar with your own spiritual language, and build up a library of songs, movies, talks, or whatever else is most likely to bring you back to life. Pray to God when you’re feeling stuck in a rut, and ask Him to make Himself manifest in your life. In short, do everything you can to bring the fire back every time that it has gone out.
But also, establish the rituals that will get you through the inevitable quiet times. When the fire is hot, establish the patterns that will keep you on the rails after things have cooled down. Build a network that will keep you honest, that will chase after you, that will invite you back to the good places. And when your heart is cool, and you just don’t feel ready to spark it back to life, lean on the rituals and trust them to keep you moving forward.
I believe that God meant for us to learn both sets of skills, and that that is the reason we both possess the capacity for burning passion, and the tendency to cool back to complacency. This dual nature gives us the opportunity to practice both sides and become mighty in each.
Speaking for myself, I’m in a colder time right now. My life has been through a barrage of trial and difficulty, such that I am just trying to get by on the old patterns. I hope that I’ll do a good job at that, and I trust that when I am able, I will start chasing the fire once again. Either way, I’m still in this, and I hope you are, too!
By Abe, Writing Team
