Influenza of the Soul

The human spirit can endure a sick body,
but who can bear a crushed spirit? Proverbs 18:14

Has your grateful attitude gone to Maui and left you behind? Does the Bible seem like a long-winded list of all you have done wrong? Maybe your prayer of late seems like a pitiable poem of poor words and above all you just don't seem to have the joy that was supposed to be present at all times. You might have something like an influenza of the soul going right now. You know the Devil certainly likes you in this state, but there does not seem to be a solution available right now.

Oh, ask the friends and they will have plenty of solutions to offer. Ask of the church and more will come. Bored to tears of reading the word of God? You just need to read it some more they will say with self-righteous congratulations to their own piety. But that's the problem you mutter to God in prayer, I don't want to go there right now.

Walk with Jesus long enough and you will suffer this passing influenza of the soul that comes unexpectedly and lingers longer than we wish. It may be a season of serious assault like Job suffered done in only a spiritual manner, or it may be a stage in our development as a child of the King of kings, or maybe even both at the same time. The world does not know efficiency like our Lord knows efficiency!

What is the solution to this tough time we will run into along the way of Jesus? Maybe, in place of all the do this and do that we will hear suggested or even commanded by those who think they know, we might be in the perfect position to let go and let God handle this thing. After all, we know better than to tell someone suffering the usual kind of flu that they just need to get up and run a few miles. As to the others, well meaning though they may be, perhaps they can back off and just pray. That is something we can all do in the name of our Lord Jesus!

Bucky