How to Navigate the Sophomore Slump

If you want to get a sports junkie talking, questions like “Any rookies flashing?” is a great place to start. A rookie who is “flashing” might not be among the best players on the team, but they are making occasional great plays and getting fans excited about the potential of what they might become in the future. 

But for every Fred Warner who flashes greatness as a rookie and keeps getting better, we see a Chris Duarte who surprises in year one and slumps as a sophomore. 

“Sophomore slumps” can hit us all. Some of us decide to follow Jesus for the first time and are excited to go all in with him. Then, a year later, we find ourselves struggling to maintain that same fire we once had. 

Frustratingly enough, it’s not just our second year or second attempt where slumps hit us. We could be following Jesus for a long time and repeatedly experience  “starting hot” with a new small group, a prayer or devotional plan, a goal to read Scripture daily ... and then trail off because our responsibilities on campus, our jobs, or even a lack of motivation get in the way. 

Finishing the Race 

The apostle Paul paints a picture of finishing well in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 saying, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day.” 

Paul celebrates that he didn’t simply start strong but “finished the race” and now anticipates the promised “award.”

How many of us boast strong starts but allow slumps to derail us into never realizing the fullness of “good works which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10)? 

An exciting element of working with InterVarsity is that I get to watch students “flash” growth in their relationship with Jesus. Dre and Cora are two recent examples at Indiana State. 

When Something Needs to Change

Dre

When I met Dre, he was experiencing a period of purposelessness and depression. Another student connected us, saying Dre could use some guidance. So, we agreed to meet. Over many weeks, Dre’s interest in faith began to grow until he decided to surrender his life to Jesus.

“One of the first and biggest things I learned about Jesus was that nothing is too hard for him to handle,” Dre said. “His love helped me release the things that were out of my control.” 

Still, Dre’s growth has not been without struggle. When he returned home last summer, he wasn’t prepared to be without the habits and community that had sustained him during the school year. 

“At school, I make better decisions and have many Bible studies and Christian friends. Back home, I study less and get distracted by responsibilities, friends, family, life, etc.,” Dre said. “I wouldn’t say [my spiritual practices] stopped working. Instead, I treated my spiritual life like a burden.” 

In response, Dre began taking steps to re-center his faith. He started keeping reminders of God’s Word, voice, and images all around him –– in his car, on his phone, even on his wrist. Now, when he returns home, he feels ready to connect daily with God and avoid the sophomore slump. 

Cora

Cora’s journey towards following Jesus began with a sermon at [military] basic training after her senior year of high school. It was the kind of sermon that seemed like it was meant just for her. 

After that sermon, she got her hands on her own Bible and began meeting regularly with the chaplain. The more she learned, the more peace she had. 

“Even though I was in one of the hardest positions I had ever been in, I wasn’t scared or anxious or nervous,” Cora said. “I was calm for the first time in a long time. I think that was the spiritual high that everybody talks about.” 

Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last. When Cora returned home with broken hips, she found herself isolated. No one in her family attended church, and her injury kept her on bedrest, unable to seek out community. 

“That was my slump,” she said. “I didn’t have the resources and the fellowship and the community. I got back into hanging onto things that hurt instead of letting go. I got stuck.” 

When she transitioned to college soon after, she lacked the tools to study Scripture and people she trusted to ask questions to. Her faith went largely unpracticed, even though she still identified as a Christian. 

My staff partner, Gabby, and I randomly stopped Cora on campus one day –– crutches and all –– with a popsicle and invitation to our root beer float gathering. Cora came that day — and kept coming back. Over time, she decided something needed to change. 

“I wasn’t experiencing peace,” she said. “That was a really hard realization, but that was the catalyst.” 

Through her InterVarsity community, Cora learned how to study the Bible with others and began opening up again. She remembered how God met her during basic training and realized that he could meet her now. 

Commitment Makes a Difference 

If you’re coming back from winter break or Urbana, and you’re experiencing a “sophomore slump” like what Dre and Cora went through, consider these two questions: 

1. Are you committed to a spiritual community, even when your motivation is low?

Sophomore slumps don’t just happen when we go home for the summer or after we graduate. They can happen right now — after a big conference, a semester break, or an uptick in responsibilities. Emotions can change, and it can be easy to forget why we used to be so on fire for God.

Choosing to recommit to your InterVarsity community, or other spiritual community you’re a part of, can stabilize your faith when your feelings lag. Community lets you have real people in your life who can hold you accountable, pursue God alongside you, show up for you, and recognize when you aren’t showing up. 

2. Do you have a plan for how you’ll connect with God right now? 

If you’re already in the middle of a slump, there are resources for you. As a student with a busy schedule, you may find it helpful to develop a simple, flexible plan for spiritual rhythms. For many, the spiritual practice of “rule of life” is foundational. 

John Mark Comer and his team at Practicing the Way have created a free tool that creates space for dreaming about what you want your spiritual rhythms to look like. InterVarsity also has a guide on spiritual practices to help you thrive in college, which you can go through on your own or with your community!

Don’t get overwhelmed and expect to eradicate a sophomore slump overnight. Be patient but persistent with yourself as you explore what practices need to be a part of your plan in this season of life. And remember that steady commitment to God and to community make all the difference.

Friends, may we all be like Caitlin Clark as we navigate distractions or disappointments after exciting, initial flashes leave us feeling like we’re in a slump. May God be gracious to us as we pick ourselves up and keep stepping forward with him.