Impacting Utah

Usually I go for the best deal if not the cheapest shoe I can find. This time, I splurged. I got me some good shoes and even paid extra for arch support inserts! I really hope they help me enjoy life more, be more active, do more things, and have less aches and pains.

Thinking more deeply though . . . life is a journey. And how far can we get on that journey without a good pair of shoes? And how can we walk at a good pace if our feet are uncomfortable? And if our feet start hurting, aren’t our back and knees going to start hurting pretty soon too? What if we find ourselves in harms way and we need to be quick and agile in order to thwart off the demons?

My tendency in the past has been to take my feet for granted, buy whatever shoes are on clearance or whatever, and ignore the pain and discomfort. So I wonder if I’ve treated my soul any better than I’ve treated my soles. I have a good relationship with God. I study the Bible and pray through what I’m learning and feeling. I try to apply the word to my daily life. But sometimes it’s hard just to spend time soaking in the gospel. I tend to read the Bible to learn something new and fresh, not to remind myself of what I already know. I wonder how much my life would be even better if I spent time reminding my soul who Jesus is and how great it is to be loved by Him . . . and live in that peace!

Eph 6:15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

If we spend time immersing our souls (soles) in the word (shoes of peace) every morning, we will not only be prepared for whatever comes our way, but we will find our days more enjoyable because of the comfort we find for our souls (soles).

Do you know that feeling when you’re sick (especially if you’re drowsy from some medication) and you kinda feel like a zombie?  UGH!!!

Lately I’ve been taking prescription drugs for a muscle strain in my back.  I don’t like these drugs. They make me drowsy. I often can’t think straight or perform at my job. What’s worse is I don’t realize it. I find my boss and coworkers looking at me strangely or asking me if I’m ok. They tell me they’re not sure I’m all there. Tis not a good feeling.
I’ve known this feeling before, and I don’t like it. It’s the same feeling you get when you have unconfessed sin. Sin, at least in my experience, can have a kind of numbing effect. It closes your heart from feeling some hurt or painful longing. The problem is it closes your heart from feeling God too. You’re not making your heart better. You’re actually making it worse because you can’t connect with The Healer and you mayn’t even realize you’re hurting.
When I’m feeling spiritually or emotionally numb, I find refreshment and healing in prayer. Usually that prayer would begin something like this:

God, I know you’re there, but I don’t feel you right now. I confess that I have allowed my heart to stray from you. I have given in to (temptation, anger, lust, etc.) Please search my heart for any sin that I am not aware of.  Please forgive me for sinning against you and cleanse my heart.  I want to draw near to you God. Please draw near to me.  My heart has been a little closed towards you lately. Right now I want to open up my heart to you ….

Then I share what’s on my heart: fears, worries, temptations, longings, thankfulness, etc. and let the prayer go where it takes us. Sometimes it leads into a time of silence and listening to Him. Sometimes it leads to a time of praise. Sometimes He puts some scripture on my heart and it leads to a time of learning.  But always I come away feeling close to my God.