As a kid that grew up without internet, cellphones or satellite television, I spent most of my time outdoors. In North Florida, that brings its own adventure, since the bright sunshine on a hot summer afternoon can quickly transform into a thunderous uproar, complete with a drenching rain.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed my romps around the neighborhood and never seemed to miss my lack of technology. In those days, we made friends, not memes. Plus, the fact that we had to be creative on a daily basis definitely served us well in adulthood, since most jobs reward thinking “outside the box.” I was especially good at that because I spent a lot of time trying to get out of the many cardboard boxes I had fashioned into Corvettes or semi trucks, depending on where my imagination was taking me.
As I have become more seasoned, I haven’t spent as much time in the great outdoors, and my good doctor tells me some additional vitamin D is required. “Plus, you need to spend 15 minutes a day in the sun,” she instructed.
As it turns out, vitamin D is important in maintaining several aspects of our health. All of this got me thinking about my spiritual health. I often spend time reading or watching my favorite pastors on TV, and I attend church. Those are all great for getting my mind in the right place.
However, there are times when these practices still leave me feeling a bit hollow inside, like there’s something missing. My recent trip to the doctor reminded me of the solution to my spiritual malaise. Just as the vitamin D capsules are not sufficient for improving my health without additional sunlight, we don’t grow spiritually without direct exposure to the Son.
It is easy to become satisfied with gaining insight and wisdom from readily available sources, but we should be careful to treat them as the supplements they are. For any of the things we learn to become useful, they must be worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. For that to happen, we must spend time quietly waiting on God, communing with Him in confidence that He will work in our hearts all that we need. Romans 10:10 reminds us that it is with the heart that we believe, which leads to a confession that makes for our salvation. It all begins in the heart, not the head.
I suspect much of the weakness we sometimes feel in of our faith springs from the fact that we are busy planting truth in our head that can only bear fruit in our hearts when God is given time to till the soil that lies deep within us. We are, after all, “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
We will do well to remember that God orders our good works, providing their use and direction as we wait on Him. Find you a quiet place this week, and spend some time soaking up the Son so that you can shine brightly for Him wherever He leads you.