I believe I can say that all believers have, in measure, experienced this very same thing. At one time (especially right after we were saved) all we could think about was the eternal destiny of our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and even perfect strangers and thus we seized every opportunity we had to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. We would earnestly and passionately show them scriptures that revealed their lost, sinful condition and their need of a Savior, and then we would lovingly direct their attention to the cross, where the Savior of sinners laid down His life so God could provide a way of salvation for them. But in time our zeal and passion waned, even though, as you said, we continue to pray, study the scriptures, and proclaim the gospel to the unsaved. Your question, “What can I do?” is perhaps on the minds and lips of many believers.

There are, perhaps, various reasons why one’s passion subsides, but I would like to dwell on just one. Let’s read Revelation 2:1-5, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write…I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil…you have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHERE YOU HAVE FALLEN; REPENT and DO THE FIRST WORKS.” If you read the letter to the Ephesians, which was written about 30 years before the book of Revelation, you know that the believers in that church were in a very healthy spiritual condition. So much so, that the apostle Paul wrote to them of the highest revelations of truth that God had given to him. In Acts 20:17-38, we read of Paul’s last encounter with the elders of the church in Ephesus and their love for the apostle was so great that as they were parting company we read, “They all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him.” What was the secret of their unswerving devotion to Christ and of their love for His servant, Paul? Ah, it was THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST! And what was it that caused them to love Christ? We have the answer in 1st John 4:19, “We love, because He first loved us.” The saints at Ephesus were constantly dwelling on the love that Christ had for them and this in turn produced love in their hearts for Him and for others! I believe we could say He was everything to them; He had “first place” in every area of their lives. But in time they started to drift away from Christ. Why? Because they lost sight of Christ’s love and this resulted in them “leaving their first love.” Christ no longer held “first place” in their hearts!

We saw in Revelation verses 1-3 that they were still quite active, and no doubt they appeared to be just as healthy (spiritually) to others as they had been in former days. But Christ could see what no man could see; He saw their hearts and He knew that their love for Him had diminished. This in turn led to a lot of activity, but He knew that their service was not the result of FIRST LOVE. So He exhorts them to REMEMBER the “first days” when they had Him as their “first love.” If they took His words to heart they would REPENT and thus they would indeed return to FIRST LOVE and be able to “do the FIRST WORKS.”

Before I close, I would like to quote a passage which shows us the passion that Christ had for lost souls. In quoting this I want us to see that if we return to FIRST LOVE (a passionate, fervent love for our blessed Lord and Savior), we will have the ability to SEE SOULS THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR SAVIOR. In other words, His passion will become our passion! Matthew 9:36-38 reads, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’.” Let’s also read John 4:35, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest.” (285.9)