The Zombie Apocalypse is upon us. The outbreak has begun and the lifeless walk. But this wave of zombies are not the victims of some secret biological experiment gone awry. These are not the walking dead but the "walking dull', and they stalk the corridors of churches every Sunday.

As believers we all drift into dry seasons of life. Our walk becomes marred with dullness and our joy of salvation is replaced with shades of grey. We look at life through glazed eyes and like Zombies we walk. We still carry the appearance of external piety and well-rehearsed religious behaviour. But this only disguises a heart already dull with boredom. A boredom with God, boredom with the Word, boredom with serving others and reaching the lost. As spiritual Zombies we’re not hungry for human flesh, but for worldly comforts. We want enough ticks off the spiritual checklist, but only so that we can return guilt-free to fleshly comforts.

Is there any hope of surviving this zombie-like behaviour? Walking dull to the wonder of Jesus, walking dull to lost souls around us and dull to the joy of true worship? The reasons for this spiritual condition can vary, but the most common reason is, misguided expectations. We expected the Christian race to be a sprint and not a marathon. We expected Christianity to be about writing our spiritual legacy rather than living for God’s glory. We expected success in the short term, ministry growth and praise, only to find our service marked with anonymity and ingratitude.

The means of survival is perhaps a much needed prayer we all need to utter, “Help me finish well Lord.” Taken by the lure of worldly ambition? Pray, "Help me finish well." Tormented by recurring sin and losing hope? Pray, "Help me finish well." Tempted to leave your ministry, your mission, your marriage? Pray, "Help me finish well!" Asking God to help us finish well is like a crucial pit stop to refresh our souls before the next lap. Asking God to help us finish well is like a full dress rehearsal of that crucial moment when we cross the finish line and meet our Saviour. It makes our final accountability towards our Savior a demand to re-examine if we are stewarding or wasting our lives.

Friends, perhaps you already are a victim of this Zombie infection, trapped in the dullness of a pattern of dead religion. You can escape from going through the motions and re-examine your spiritual habits and motivations. What matters most in the Christian race is, not how fast you started or how impressive each lap was. What matters most is finishing well.