What to Do When Your Spirit Feels Clogged

Like clogged pipes, sometimes our spirits develop a backup. Here’s what to do when your spirit feels clogged.

Flow from Beginning to End

The Bible begins and ends with Flow. At the start, it describes mighty rivers flowing around and through Eden (Genesis 2:10-13). The Bible finishes with the renewed Paradise of God with its River of Life flowing from the throne (Revelation 22:1-2). From beginning to end, Flow connects us all.

Soaking in the Flow

Psalm 1 describes the person who meditates as a tree planted by the river, soaking up the water through its roots and becoming fruitful. Psalm 52:8 says, “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” This unfailing love is the upward flow that the olive tree drinks in, turning it to sap in the tree and eventually oil in the fruit it bears. This oil becomes the oil of anointing, which then flows downward from God onto God’s people.

A Flow of Unity

Psalm 133 describes this anointing as a flow of unity that runs everywhere, getting messy as it goes, but giving life and blessing wherever it settles. This downward flow of anointing gives life. Psalm 23 evokes this image of poured-out oil but also describes the downward and outward overflow of a cup that cascades with excess. The downward flow of living water that we drink becomes an upward flow—a fountain springing up to eternal life (John 4:14).

Living Water

So begins the upward flow once again. Like water from a fountain, Jesus says living water will flow from the core of the person who believes in him (John 7:38). Scripture also describes lamps wicking oil upward so that their flow brings light to the world. Zechariah describes a mystical vision of a gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps, with seven channels to the lamps—which some believe to be analogous to the seven spirits of God in the book of Revelation (Zechariah 4:1-6; Rev 1:1-4). He describes oil rising through the wicks to the flames of wise bridesmaids, lighting their way to eternal realms (Matthew 25:1-13). This rising flow gives light and leads to eternal life.

Deep Calls to Deep

Then that flow splashes down and out, like water from a rock that nourishes God’s people. Like Ezekiel wading in the water and discovering that the deeper he goes, the more God flows around him (Ezekiel 47). Just as Jordan’s streams eddied around Jesus at his baptism (Matthew 3:13-17), the flow of Christ swirls in and around you. “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls,” David cries, “all your waves and breakers have swept over me (Psalm 42:7).” The downward and outward flow carries us along, sustains, and cleanses us.

God as Living Flow

Scripture describes God in many ways. Today, I want you to consider God as a living Flow. Stagnant waters breed death, but flowing water gives life. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).” Let this life flow into you so that you live abundantly. But then let it flow out of you as well. In one healing moment, Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me (Luke 8:46).” Made in the image of God, you become a fountain of life as well, with power flowing from you as you pray, bringing healing and blessing as a sibling of Jesus.

Developing a Backup

Yet sometimes our flow gets stopped up. Like pipes that are clogged, sometimes our spirits develop a backup. We get to the point where we can’t feel God’s presence when we pray, where our prayers seem like words spoken to the witless wind. Yet, God created us for relationship with the divine. God wants Holy Spirit to flow within us, to give us abundant life that overflows from our hearts and nourishes those around us. Our spirit-flow gets clogged by fear, wrath, manipulation, mistrust, guilt, unforgiveness, judgmental attitudes, and the like. When the Spirit gets jammed up within us, nothing goes right. As our relationships suffer, our connection with God seems diminished. With a backup of flow, even health can be at risk. As a vessel of the divine presence, you want to free your flow.

What to Do When Your Spirit Feels Clogged

I invite you to meditate or pray today, closing your eyes and inviting God’s power to flow like a river beneath your feet—running up your toes, through your legs, coursing up your spine. Then feel that living spring flow from you. Like water bubbling out of a fountain, imagine it cascading over you and blessing others. Feel yourself as a wick, soaking up the oil of the Holy Spirit. Envision it moving from your toes, up your legs and your spine, and out your fingertips. Soon, your whole body becomes all flame.

Feel the anointing flow from you, and down upon you, so that the flow of the Spirit’s oil covers everything. As you breathe in, feel the flow rise upward. As you breathe out, feel the flow downward. Immerse yourself in the presence of God and see the peace that it brings. Meditating on divine flow is one way to get unclogged and set your spirit free.