Doldrums
was a word used more often before the Industrial Revolution by sailors on
schooners and sailing ships denoting periods when the winds would be calm or
disappear altogether, trapping sail-powered boats for periods of days or even
weeks. They are actually caused by
low-pressure areas mostly around the equator in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The low-pressure is caused by the heat at the equator, which makes the
air rise and travel north and south high
in the atmosphere leaving little to no wind to propel sail-driven vessels. Sailors obviously disliked the “doldrums”
because of the state of inactivity, listlessness and stagnation they created in
their journey. The actual meaning of the
word “doldrums” comes from dold (an
archaic term meaning “stupid”) and –rum(s)
a noun suffix found in such words as tant-rum’.
I
have found that in my Christian journey there are spiritual “doldrums”, periods
of time where things seem slow, flat or boring, or even come to a
stand-still. Even though I am still
doing everything God calls me to do I do not always experience excitement, like
when He answers something long prayed for or when I really experience a worship
service that just seems engulfed in His Shekinah Glory. What should we do when spiritual things are
dull, hot, stuffy, flat and still? We
can take a lesson from the sailors who lived and worked in the doldrums: keep on doing what you KNOW to do. Did the sailors quit working and sit around
in the shade waiting on the wind to kick back up again? No they went about their jobs scrubbing the
decks, repairing and replacing woodwork, tools, sails, and other needs they did
not have time to see to when they were underway. The times things seem stagnate are the very
times I need to be faithful to spend daily time reading the Word of God,
praying, singing praise, and giving thanks.
It is during the spiritual “doldrums” that I should make every effort to
fellowship with other believers and share the Gospel to those around me in need
of my Savior. A friend of mine once said
in a sermon, “When you do not know what
to do…do what you DO KNOW to do.”
The
“doldrums” can also be times of reflection and refreshing. One of the most important lessons I learned
at Youth With A Mission Discipleship Training School was, “When things seem off or go wrong go to the last thing the Lord told
you to do…did you do it? If not, GO DO
IT!” Maybe things seem stagnate
because God is trying to get your attention.
Seek Him out. Ask Him to show you
what He wants you to do.
We
can look to the sailors experience with the “doldrums” for another key in our
experience with spiritual “doldrums”.
The sailors always knew the wind would return eventually so they made
preparations to get underway as soon as they felt the winds pick up. We know that spiritual dryness comes in our
walk with the Lord, but we can be prepared for the day ahead as we continue to
spend daily quality time with and remain obedient to Him. When we do that, as He promised, the days of
refreshing will return (Isaiah 58:9-12).
