Day 17: Phoning It In
Read Isaiah 55:1-14
It had been a long, hard wilderness season. I was tired of disappointment, rejection, frustration, the answer “no”, and the answer “wait.” I was tired of faithfully reading my bible, journaling and praying in my morning devotions, and trusting God to “work all things for good” – with life still feeling anything but good. I was so tired of it all that I just decided to stop talking with God. Like a petulant child, I said, “God, I’m gonna tune out for awhile. I need a break.” Wow. Talk about arrogance!
In the midst of my “faith break,” I maintained one spiritual discipline. I stayed on as a high school girls Life Group leader. This discipline required me to give a cursory reading of the scripture text for each week and provide basic leadership for group prayer. For most of those weeks, I was merely phoning it in, hoping that the girls wouldn't notice. On a superficial level, it seemed like a relief to "turn off" my relationship with God. But truthfully, I was no more content or at peace than I had been before.
About three months into this little experiment, I read something that quite literally brought me to my knees: “Give ear and come to Me, Listen to me, that your soul may live” (Isa. 55:3). I realized with a jolt, that my soul was dying and I desperately wanted it to live. I wanted to live. Later in that chapter, God reminded me through Isaiah that “...my thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways” (v. 8) and “...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (v. 11).
Questions to Consider:
Reflect on any spiritual disciplines you practice that are especially life-giving to you. Are there spiritual disciplines that have gone dormant in your life? Are there ways you might revive a spiritual discipline to breathe life into your soul?
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, even when I forget you, turn away from you, or grow lazy in my pursuit of you, thank you for never letting me go. I am thankful that your ways are higher than mine and that You always accomplish your good purposes. Give me more faith.
Prayer:
By Chrystal Helmcke