There is a spiritual flu going around which can affect all of us. It can be especially disastrous wherever it hits, affecting entire groups of people. Do you have it? Take the letters of the word “FLU” and use them to diagnose this spiritual illness which sooner or later afflicts every one of us.
F
The first symptom is “Forgetfulness.” Those who come down with this kind of flu are plagued with a tragic loss of memory as to what they should be doing for the Kingdom of God. They forget to be faithful. They forget how God has blessed them, and forget to be thankful. They forget they are to be sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.
L
A second symptom of this kind of flu is “Laziness.” This is a serious symptom! Perhaps it isn’t that we’ve forgotten what we are supposed to be doing. Maybe we are just too lazy to do it. Proverbs 18:9 reads, “One who is slack is brother to one who destroys.” Even the early Christians had to be warned: “We do not want you to become lazy…” (Hebrews 6:12).
U
The third major symptom of this spiritual type of flu is “Unconcern,” known also as “Apathy.” This is the most dangerous symptom since it often occurs without warning. So many just simply don’t care about spiritual things. We don’t care about lost people. We are afflicted with unconcern. James wrote that “anyone ... who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins” (James 4:17).
Ultimately, the disease can cripple our joy, wipe out our witness–even kill a church, perhaps without its members even being aware of it.
Do you have the F.L.U.? Prevention consists of four “pills” we all need to take on a regular basis. Those “pills” are Bible study and prayer (both taken daily), fellowship and worship (on a regular basis), and sharing Christ with others (as often as possible.
The Great Physician is in. He will see you now.
--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com