WEEK 5
Our anxiety and unrest are often a product of something going on within the soul—whether ours or a co-worker’s, friend’s, family member’s, child’s, or spouse’s. The trouble for you and I is that to deal with the soul, we must trust our Father’s dealing. That doesn’t mean there is nothing for us to do, but the primary thing is to step out of the drama before we enter the trouble: to calm and quiet our soul. If you don’t know what we’re talking about or need a refresher(!), listen to Sunday’s sermon before continuing.
CALMING OUR SOUL is a movement away from the drama, the partial (limited & biased) depiction of the felt trouble within ourselves or another. To know where we need to move away from, we need to identify the source of the unease and restlessness. Like our previous practices, self-identification won’t get us what we are after. We need the Spirit’s examination of the soul, not merely our own.
1. Identify a particular context where you feel anxious or disquieted. The context could be a work situation, a marital issue, a future opportunity, a cooling friendship, or something else. With that specific context in mind, ask the Spirit to help you see the source of the unease and restlessness within you (or between you and the other person). Ask the Spirit and consider: Is the source a…
Heart Thing | Is something I (or they) treasure being threatened with loss or deterioration?
Head Thing | Am I (or they) unable to see what’s coming clearly, and do we know we can’t?
Hands Thing | Am I (or they) experiencing the consequences of a split devotion?
2. Once you know the source of the issue is a soul thing, let this Psalm 131-based prayer help you step out of the drama and quiet your soul. Pray:
Father, I am out of my depth. I cannot, through force, through effort, through answers, or even through longing, satisfy the soul (mine or another’s). I will not, Father, try and rule the roost, play king of the mountain, meddle where I have no business, or fantasize grandiose plans. I will, Father, cultivate a content soul as I consider your goodness, greatness, and grace (towards me and the other).
WITH A QUIETED SOUL, we can enter into the real troubles of daily life, both experiencing and making peace.
3. Ask the Spirit to show you what ways you can share in the troubles of the day without being pulled into the drama. With your specific context in mind, ask and consider: What do you need to say, or not? What do you do, or not?
4. After you’ve calmed and quieted your soul, pray:
Father, holy is your name. I will seek to let it be so in my interactions today.
Father, your kingdom is come. I will seek to live in it in my interactions today.
Father, your will is done. I will seek to follow it in my interactions today.
Because I live in and through Jesus, I pray. Amen.