I put the book down for a while, as I do with books. I have way too many books that I am in the process of reading. I read for a little while, put it down, pick up another one, etc. It depends on what I'm studying for sermons, what I need for my own soul, what I may be reading for book club and clergy group, etc.
I picked up Embracing Soul Care: Making Space for What Matters Most by Stephen Smith this week and began where I left off.
I am on Part 5 in the book, "Soul Exercises: Practicing the Spiritual Disciplines", Chapter 29 "The Need to Practice".
The chapter begins with a quote by Thomas Merton: "The spiritual life is first of all a life. It is not merely something to be known and studied, it is to be lived."
The chapter talks about physical activity and how we spend time, energy, and money on it. The question is then asked, "how do we take care of our souls?" (101)
It speaks of spiritual exercises, holy habits and that they "make room for God in our lives." (101)
Another term for spiritual exercises here in the chapter is "soul exercises".
"Soul exercises connect us to God. Think of soul exercises like physical exercises. Sit-ups improve the stomach muscles. Push-ups improve our arm muscles. Different exercises develop different parts of the body. Likewise, soul exercises work on different parts of our spiritual life and our relationships." (101)
Getting out into creation is a soul exercise that opens up space for God for me. I have been able to do that this week, going walking at Greenway Farms twice and once at Big Soddy Creek Gulf. The latter held an additional gift in that with all the rain we've had lately, the creek and waterfall were flowing with water. The rushing waters were an added gift to enjoy, as were wet weather waterfalls that trickled down gently over rocks or through the woods.
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| Big Soddy Creek Gulf |
Per Stephen Smith (as modeled by Christians for 2000 years), soul exercises can include:
- study
- worship
- prayer
- service
- fellowship
- confession
- celebration
- journaling
- solitude
- silence
- fasting
- secrecy
- sacrifice
- meditation (see page 102 for this list)
He notes, "as we grow spiritually, we can vary exercises. [,,,] the goal is to grow closer to God." (102)
My spiritual exercises vary, yet I have found that I need more and more silence and solitude as I grow and as I serve. If I don't get my silence and solitude time, there isn't a space from which I can serve. It shouldn't surprise me. The Gospel of Mark is my go-to for reminding me that Jesus took time apart to be alone, to pray, to be with a few close friends.
Just as I have needed to be diligent in doing my exercises for my hip to heal after my hip replacement surgery, so must I be diligent in doing exercises for my soul to grow. Silence, solitude, contemplative photography, journaling, study, worship, confession, prayer, fellowship, service, meditation are some of the exercises that make room for God in my life.
What about you? What are the spiritual exercises, the soul exercises that are meaningful to you?
After my hip replacement surgery I had to rebuild some muscles that had no strength. If that is true of us physically, could that be true spiritually? (The answer is yes.) If we don't use our muscles, whether physically or spiritually (or otherwise), we'll lose them, they will atrophy.
What growth does your soul need? What soul exercise(s) would benefit you most at this time in your life?
Here's to growth on the journey,
Debra
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