Six Practices to Nourish Your Soul
“He gave them what they asked; but sent leanness into their soul.” (Psalm 106:15)
This haunting line comes in the context of the Psalmist rehearsing the story of Exodus, where God delivers his people through powerful signs and wonders. Despite the visible and tangible presence of God, human restlessness, envy, and greed reassert themselves. The result is that even as recipients of the unbounded generosity of God it’s possible to waste away internally. We see this when unfettered appetites gnaw at the bones of what should be wonder, joy, and thanksgiving.
I need this Psalm. Despite experiencing the grace of God, my heart still bends towards restlessness, worry, envy, bitterness, resentment, and suspicion.
Here are six practices to nourish your soul. Practicing them will help tend your heart against the kind of soul sickness the Psalmist describes.
1. Rest – For years, I would find myself spiritually and emotionally discouraged in September. Because I do campus ministry, I thought that this discouragement was an example of spiritual warfare, evidence of poor preparation for ministry over the summer, or a lack of faith. The result of interpreting discouragement as resistance or lack was that I was blind to the simpler truth that my sleep habits changed with the beginning of school. Instead of sleeping 7 – 8 hours per night, I’d sleep an average of 5 – 6 hours per night. Discouragement was largely coming from lack of sleep. It turned out I didn’t need to work harder, pray harder, and exercise faith more, I just needed to sleep.
The phrase attributed to Carl Jung, “Hurry is not of the devil, it is the devil,” captures the soul crushing context we too often find ourselves in. We rush around attempting to do, be, and accomplish, losing touch with the gentle rhythms of work and rest. Rest, in this context, is a radical act of soul care.
Take a rest audit. How well are you sleeping? What daily rhythms, besides sleep, do you engage to slow down and be present to yourself and to God? When and for how long do you unplug from screens, task lists, and chores in order to let your body and soul recover? What stimulants, like coffee or chocolate, do you depend on to power through the day? What depressants, like wine, do you lean on to unwind? Can you imagine taking a full 24-hour rest / sabbath every week?
2. Remember – All of our memories are stretched thin. We use task lists, reminders, post it notes, software, and cell phone apps to keep track of the details of our fast-paced lives. These powerful tools help us survive and thrive. The creation of the checklist, for example, has demonstrably reduced the number of plane crashes and surgical complications.
It comes as no surprise then, that one of the most common biblical commands is to remember. Biblical tools like monuments, names, special days, liturgies, and rituals were all designed to help remind God’s people of what’s important. The Psalm above, sung in worship, functioned as a reminder and a warning.
With our attention and memories stretched thin by modern living, it’s vital that we make space to remember and reflect on the good gifts we’ve received. Rehearsing the blessings of life can liberate us from the curated discontent we are bombarded with every day.
Make a list of everything you’re grateful for today. Be specific. List the specific friendships, opportunities, joys, activities, and resources contributing to your wellbeing. How many of those things are the result of hard work? How many are gifts of grace? How many are both? How do you see God’s presence, provision, or protection in this list? Review this list 3 times this week.
3. Repent – Repentance is one of those religious words with a shady past. It calls up images of red-faced revivalist preachers wagging their fingers, threatening of hell. Who wants to live under the weight of capricious and angry God holding us over the fire?
And yet, the practice of repentance is meant to be a joy rather than a burden. Imagine all of us go through life with an imaginary backpack that accumulates weight with every failed good intention, every lie or hurtful word, every bitter or envious thought. Now imagine the difficult relationships, persistent conflicts, and intractable problems we get ourselves entangled in. Each of these adds weight to this backpack, weighing down our soul. If we were honest, we’d quickly become immobilized.
Repentance is the act of emptying the backpack. We take out the words, intentions, thoughts, and practices we’ve put in and entrust them to God. In the Christian tradition we do this looking into the face of Jesus, receiving his freedom and forgiveness.
What is in your backpack? What secrets, resentments, lies, or evils are you carrying around with you? What might it be like to empty your backpack and experience freedom? Try it this week.
4. Release – Dad and I had a complicated relationship for many years. Growing up I found my dad’s intensity and authority intimidating. Paint a room and he’d show you the spot you missed. I often felt I didn’t measure up to his expectations.
It wasn’t till the testimonials at his funeral that I started to see dad’s relational patterns in a different light. His colleagues and co-workers commented about how much they knew dad cared for them because of his meticulous, and critical attention to their work. My feelings of bitterness about not being enough kept me from seeing and receiving love from my dad.
Once we empty the backpack, we can release others from the debt they owe us. When my resentment toward my dad is emptied out of the invisible backpack, I can release the him for the affirmations unsaid and the attempts at connection unheard. I can even release myself from the need to be a different, or better, son.
Who or what do you need to release? What relationship, loss, or longing is gnawing at your soul? Try praying this simple prayer; Lord, I release ____ to you today. Grant me the freedom to love and serve you and others. Amen.
5. Restore – One of the most well-known verses in the Bible is from the 23rd Psalm. “He restores my soul.” Can you remember the last time your soul felt restored?
Yesterday I ran into two neighbors on a walk in our nearby park. They were sitting on a bench, watching the sunset over the Hudson River. “Can you believe this,” Bill said, pointing at the hazy descent. I’d noticed sunset before seeing Bill, but his delight stirred something in me. As we sat and talked for a few minutes in the deepening dusk my soul felt strangely refreshed. I walked away thanking God for a moment of unexpected restoration in the middle of the week.
Walking refreshes my soul. Sitting with friends does too. What about you? What practices increase your sense of wellbeing, connectedness, and hope? As you engage in that practice this week, consider praying the 23rd Psalm as you begin. Pay attention to unexpected joys and places of hope.
6. Relish – The reward of a life with God is, God. The healthy spiritual life may begin with a sense of our need for grace, healing, forgiveness, hope, restoration, or salvation, but it doesn’t stay there. As we cooperate with God’s spirit we learn to delight in God.
This process is slow, but its trajectory is unmistakable. This doesn’t mean that we spend all our time in prayer or contemplation. We may life very busy, active lives, but our attention and desire will return to God.
What helps you delight to spend time in the presence of God?
Try one or more of these 6 practices this week. Comment below and share what it was like for you.