What happens when physical weariness creeps into your spiritual life? (See yesterday’s blog) What if all along the weariness began in your spiritual life and is just now breaching the walls of your physical life? What if being physically tired is just a symptom of a parched soul?
These are some of the questions boiling to the surface of my own personal reflection. In hopes of finding some answers I have returned to The Sacred Romance (B. Curtis & J. Eldredge). The opening chapter includes this quote from A. W. Tozer:
Thirsty hearts are those whose longings have been wakened by the touch of God within them.
There exists a fine line between a hard heart and a thirsty heart. The thirsty heart is no less calloused. The difference lies in the willingness of the thirsty heart, the desire of the thirsty heart to be satiated. The hard heart no longer has this desire. The thirsty heart, as The Sacred Romance maintains, longs to be alive, longs for meaning and purpose, longs to be drawn in by the voice of God.
This longing is the most powerful part of any human personality. It fuels our search for meaning, for wholeness, for a sense of being truly alive. However we may describe this deep desire, it is the most important thing about us, our heart of hearts, the passion of our life. And the voice that calls to us in this place is none other than the voice of God. We cannot hear this voice if we have lost touch with our heart.
Wouldn’t that make you tired? Losing touch with your heart? Unable to pursue much less identify that which is most important in your life? Failure to pursue any Godly passion for life?
And then the million dollar question:
What is it that I am supposed to be doing to live the spiritual life in any way that is both truthful and passionately alive?
So I’m wondering if the reason for much of our tiredness (yes, including my own) is that nagging thought, that bitter reality that what is happening now in my spiritual life is neither truthful nor passionately alive. And that, of course, makes me wonder what to do about it.
4 Responses to “Variation on a Theme”
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March 30th, 2005 at 3:22 pm
Lynn and Robin Button were over for dinner last night and we were talking about acknowledging the spiritual life. We all know people who don’t have a relationship with God because they refuse to admit or dwell on the truth that there is a world beyond this physical one. And we were saying that even at times when we struggle with our spiritual lives, it is SO much better than not having one at all.
Whether they last for days or years (and I DID have one go that long), God always pulls me out of my spiritual slumps. I never expect it, and am always surprised by how He does it. But it’s never me. It’s always Him.
I love you, brother. I’m so glad Sandra pointed me to your blog so I could reestablish that.
March 30th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
When I’m having one of those everlasting Mondays I tend to become a very mean person. In an attempt to stay on my best behavior I shut out the world. I’ve learned over time that just shutting out the world doesn’t help my attitude, just the people around me. Now when I’m having one of my joyful days I shut out the world in a more spiritual way. I lesson to Christian music very very very load, I have so much fun…and I end up in my own little world.
I have a girl friend, she grow up in the church…. however fell away because of differences with her family. I think she has every self-help book ever published. She’s always giving us the new insight to her soul (since she always finding herself); I always listen and say OK.
On day I came home from work in a really bad mood (I was so upset I cried), she came over to cheer me up (along with many extracts from her many books). When she came in I was dancing around the house in my own little world, just as happy as I could be. She didn’t understand, and I really couldn’t explain why I was suddenly so happy; but she did understand enough to go to church that Sunday.
It’s now’s been three weeks in a row…..pray for her (Anita).
March 31st, 2005 at 7:05 am
I agree with thurman8er: recognizing the thirst in the spiritual life means the spiritual life exists. Sanctification is a process (a trite expression for those living in the DC area, but still). Which is one way of saying that believers will have trials (”Consider it pure joy…”).
The blessing is in realizing you need to address the issue (”Whatever is good…think on these things”).
March 31st, 2005 at 8:19 pm
There are many reasons why we struggle with our spiritual lives. One being that we SHOULD struggle. The bible says we are working out our faith with fear and trembling. Taken with the admonition that he who thinks he stands should take heed lest he fall clearly depict that a certain uncertainty is essential for building our faith and keeping us from thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to.
There is also the contradiction of our existence which plays a considearble role. We are spiritual beings who inhabit limited and earthly bodies that the bible notes is corruptible. In essence there is a profound struggle going on and sometimes the weariness seeps into our spirit.
And sometimes it is just God’s signal to us to approach him for renewal, refreshment and replenishment. A call to deeper intimacy with God.