Faith is so ethereal, isn’t it? I mean, I know it is. It is perfect and light and otherworldly. But so often we leave it at that. So often I leave it at that. I don’t let it permeate into my life on this world too. I try, but so often I get distracted, remembering only to invite God in right before meal times and sometimes on Sundays. My everyday faith is spiritual but rarely if ever anything else.
Psalm 38 is a jarring reminder that faith in our God is far from solely a spiritual habit. Faith is physical and it needs to be experienced in our real world because we are living in this world; because sin is physical; because Jesus came to this world to meet us where we are.
There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones
Because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
Psalm 38: 3-8
David reminds us – he reminds me – of the physicality of my sin. Sin is bodily. Sin is degrading. Sin rots. And my body and my life on earth constantly feel the effects of it.
Faith cannot simply be ethereal because sin is so earthly.
I have chosen to fast during this Lenten season. I haven’t talked about it much, because it is between my God and me, but I have given up a treat that I eat daily. I have given up a treat that I turn to for comfort. And every day, every evening when I am attacked by night munchies, I am reminded of how tied to this world I am. I am reminded that I turn to earthly things for satisfaction first. I am reminded of how physical my sin is.
Fasting reminds us that faith is physical. It is an act of making faith physical. We need the Lord in our physical, worldly, everyday life. We need His salvation.
For in You, O Lord, I hope;
…
For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
For I will declare my iniquity;
I will be in anguish over my sin.
…
Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, be not far from me!
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
Psalm 38: 15a, 17-18, 21-22
This is a response to the #SheSharesTruth prompt for Psalm 38.
You put this so simply and beautifully. I will always think of you when I think of fasting now. I hope this Lenten season helps you feel closer to your faith.
angela recently posted..Run or Dye is coming to Detroit
Oh, thank you for reading and commenting, Angela. This Lenten season really has been a powerful one for me.
Laura O’Rourke recently posted..Fasting is Physical
I actually love fasting as a spiritual discipline, good for you!
I used to be right where you are, my faith so beautiful I just wanted it to be more real, in my day to day life. I think I still feel that way sometimes, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that things are different now.
And so I want to share just two or three simple habits that I think have helped to change that for me.
1. Counting His gifts. Writing down the little blessings throughout the day, knowing that they are each a special gift from Him. In doing this I see in a very real way how much my God loves me. ( Ann Voskamp has a great book on this journey of discover, 1000 gifts. )
2. When I would forget about God until prayer times etc, and wonder why I knew I wanted to rely on Him more, I knew I needed to trust Him more. One of the simplest ways to do this is when something suddenly doesn’t go as planned etc, something unexpected happens, maybe something you didn’t want to deal with. Whatever it is when something like that happens, try just saying, Jesus, I trust in You. Because really, he’s got our best interests at heart, always. Then he will feel closer to help you get through whatever you have to deal with.
3. To feel closer to God in the every day a bible study I’ve taken suggested taking some time and trying to relate to God/Jesus in a real physical way, as if he was another person here with you. People do things like have tea w Jesus, and set him a place, I’ve talked with him in the passenger seat of my car when I’m alone, or my favourite is to go for a walk ( or a run!) with him. Just picture him running along beside you etc… When I walk with him I hold hands and there is something so beautiful in that. The more I spend this kind of time with him, the closer he feels during my day to day.
This was so beautiful, Laura. Thank you for sharing your faith like this. I find fasting to be very difficult.
Andrea recently posted..Plugged In