Spiritual Cleansing

This morning I have a dentist appointment.  The last time I was at the dentist was for a root canal--about a year ago.  I've had two cavities filled in addition to the root canal, and I suspect this appointment will reveal the need for more.  There is nothing enjoyable about going to the dentist.  But if I'm honest, regular flossing and better eating would certainly help.  I can't expect to have perfectly healthy teeth without putting in the effort.

I think the same is true in our spiritual lives.  Being a person of faith requires us to look beyond the present moment.  In the moment, a yummy chocolate bar is delicious.  But lots of yummy chocolate bars over time will cause cavities.  In the moment, skipping out on prayer and fasting and meditation can seem like the right choice.  But over time, if we don't nourish and take care of our spirit, the "dirt" will move in and cause erosion and pain.  

I will admit that I am not always the best at taking care of my spirit.  But I am trying to do better.  With my kids in school, I have a lot of time to myself during the day.  I have started listening to more podcasts and audiobooks, and sometimes, just sitting in silence.  I have been working on my thoughts as well, and I want to share with you a book that I have been reading, called Get Out of Your Head.

It approaches positive mental health from a biblical perspective.  It does claim to be for a female audience but honestly I find the concepts in it to be pretty universal.  There is a mix of good and bad reviews on the Amazon product page, which as you may know, should be taken with a grain of salt.  Everybody's experience is going to come from their own space, which may or may not match with where you are at spiritually.

I think God is calling me (in a loud voice) to "get out on my head" this Lenten season.  I think I am called to do that at every moment of every day, but what better time than Lent to try and hunker down and put in the work?  This is a lifelong un-doing for me, but I know there is a God who loves me enough to sacrifice His Son for my sins, so, why not love on myself a little as well?  Have you ever heard the phrase "if you could just see yourself the way I see you..."?  Every person on the planet has somebody that thinks they are the world.  Can we dare to think the world of ourselves?  Can we value our hearts and our spirits enough to dig deep and do the work and purify ourselves in Christ?  That is what this journey is about.