You've probably heard the lyrics to a very familiar Christian hymn, "Be Still My Soul," for the Lord is at your side. Though this is something we must hear from time to time in this fast-paced world, I'd like us to think about a contrasting idea: "Awake, my soul, Awake!" (Psalm 108: 3).
Chances are you really enjoy sleeping, and you wish you had more of it! It's easy to think of our bodies being asleep, but what about our souls? It's so easy to let our spiritual lives go on autopilot, become dormant, and for us to become spiritually stagnant.
But in Psalm 108, a psalm of David, he says: "My heart is steadfast, God; my heart is steadfast. I will sing and chant praise. Awake, my soul; awake, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn." These words challenge us to wake up our sleepy souls!
Fr. Robert Barron reminds us in his lecture on "The Seven Deadly Sins, and Seven Lively Virtues" that although we may be busy on the outside (school, homework, show-choir, band, football, friends, etc.) we can simultaneously be slothful in our "inside." When this happens, we may become overwhelmed and overworked. Our bodies become tired, as well as our souls.
So perhaps we can make use of the hymn I mentioned at the beginning, and help it lead us to Psalm 108: 3. Invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in your soul, (where it already abides). Say "Be still, my soul." Then let the Holy Spirit speak to you as He searches your heart. If we begin with this calmness, we can be lead into a "waking up" of our souls.
You may not have a "lyre and harp" nearby to chant praise with, but you do have your life, which can be the greatest instrument of all! Let your life be a song to God as you live with a soul that is awakened to his abundant and almighty presence!
Enjoy this song, "O My Soul" by a phenomenal musician, Audrey Assad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WJB9qByWkM
In Christ's Peace,
Kristina
Chances are you really enjoy sleeping, and you wish you had more of it! It's easy to think of our bodies being asleep, but what about our souls? It's so easy to let our spiritual lives go on autopilot, become dormant, and for us to become spiritually stagnant.
But in Psalm 108, a psalm of David, he says: "My heart is steadfast, God; my heart is steadfast. I will sing and chant praise. Awake, my soul; awake, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn." These words challenge us to wake up our sleepy souls!
Fr. Robert Barron reminds us in his lecture on "The Seven Deadly Sins, and Seven Lively Virtues" that although we may be busy on the outside (school, homework, show-choir, band, football, friends, etc.) we can simultaneously be slothful in our "inside." When this happens, we may become overwhelmed and overworked. Our bodies become tired, as well as our souls.
So perhaps we can make use of the hymn I mentioned at the beginning, and help it lead us to Psalm 108: 3. Invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in your soul, (where it already abides). Say "Be still, my soul." Then let the Holy Spirit speak to you as He searches your heart. If we begin with this calmness, we can be lead into a "waking up" of our souls.
You may not have a "lyre and harp" nearby to chant praise with, but you do have your life, which can be the greatest instrument of all! Let your life be a song to God as you live with a soul that is awakened to his abundant and almighty presence!
Enjoy this song, "O My Soul" by a phenomenal musician, Audrey Assad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WJB9qByWkM
In Christ's Peace,
Kristina