Feed Your Soul, Not Your Flesh

 An old friend passed on these Youtube videos (try 32:00 mark) of a jazz piano player doing improvisations on traditional hymns.  Makes great background music that fed my soul.  It may not be your thing, but my exhortation to you this week would be this:

Identify things that restore your soul.  Pursue them.

Psalm 23 says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul."

Green pastures.  Still waters.  These are things you NEED, though you may not always feel it.  I'm not talking about the obvious things that God calls all Christians to: reading the Bible, going to church, prayer, etc.  Of course, do these.  I mean things specific to you that reset you in good ways before the Lord.

I'd warn of two traps when you seek out things to restore your soul.  One is things you're nostalgic for.  I love the sound of a good piano, and these videos feed that.  But the sound is not what restores my soul - that just meets my natural taste.  It's the lingering meditation on lyrics like "Amazing Grace" that feeds me.  Be careful when the routine bedtime story with the kids gives you the good-feels in itself without actually feeding your soul in the Lord Jesus.

I believe the Christmas season will tempt many this year to cling to nostalgia and sentimentalism for comfort, amidst all the COVID stress.  Resist this.  Your comfort is that you are not your own, but belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.  Your comfort is not in decorations or a tree or presents, or a holiday, though we ought to celebrate our Lord's Incarnation.  Your comfort is not in turning the calendar and being done with 2020.  It is in Christ.

The second trap is things you THINK you need, but you don't.  Things you have come to crave or desire.

Sugar

Infinite Facebook feeds

Alcohol

Up to date news on elections

Caffeine

That Netflix show

Chocolate

That political commentary that always agrees with you

These things provide a false comfort - they feel like they are feeding you, as they tell you what you want to hear, as they make your body feel good.  Fasts from these things will help direct your soul to the Lord, who you REALLY need.

What are you pursuing right now?  Do you know what will help your soul just now?