Can you imagine being the Apostle Paul? Here was a man who had everything going for him. His career, his finances, his future they were all secure. His father had secured him a place in society both monetarily and socially. If we were to look at Paul in today’s world, he might be the son of a Fortune 500 business leader. His parents would be those in the inner crowd who engaged in conversation with Hollywood’s elite as well as those in high-ranking military or political positions. He could move comfortably in public as his name and face were recognized among the ranks.
My point being is that Paul had a sense of security. Some of us will never know the likes of what he was granted. Some of us have glimpses or our toes in the same arenas as Paul. That is sort of where Paul was (his toes wet) when he met Jesus and gave it all up. It isn’t the giving it up or the exchange of one thing of worth for another that I am writing about today. It is instead the fact that Paul learned that life did not center around these things.
In fact, Paul establishes this idea in the Church everywhere he went. The reason he did this was because he knew that anything outside of Jesus would not provide rest, would not provide joy, or peace. There was a little more than that, but for my purposes that is all I want to touch on. You see Paul knew above all else that if a person lives through aligning their spirit to that of the Holy Spirit the power hold of all other stuff in life will fade. Let me explain. If you are living in peace in your spirit because you are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead your decisions and journey, then when hard things hit you can retain a sense of security.
It’s important we see this from the perspective that Paul offers us. He was the epitome of what each of us strive to be in our own personal worlds. We seek to be the “best” parent, we desire to be recognized at work, we put our kids in crazy sports programs to give them that edge. Be careful how you hear what I am saying. There is no condemnation or judging going on, my world isn’t any different. But Paul had both worlds and not just a little bit. He tells us how passionately he lives both. (Phil. 3:5, Acts 22:3, 2 Cor. 11:23-27)
So, what is my point to all of this? Most of what we see done on our earth has been done in some capacity before now. That doesn’t mean we strive in vain, but at times it feels like it. When our focus is the physical our mental and spiritual natures suffer. The same is true if we reverse it. We can’t live solely in the spiritual and disregard the physical. Remember the story of Jesus in the wilderness without food and water for forty days? Our bodies need nourishment. Paul wants us to see that our spirits do as well.
We are an entire body of multiple and unique systems. When I come to you week after week and talk about spiritual health it is because this is the one area of our beings in which we tend to do the least amount of care. Yet, Paul says to forsake it leads us to death (Romans 8:6). In the weeks to come, I will break down some things that you can do to help care for your spiritual self. I hope that you will be curious enough to join me.
– blessings
Monica Swank 