By Dr. Carolyn Burhans
God has placed before us an abundance of nutritious and delectable foods for our sustenance. We have also been given the ability to prepare foods that please the palate and the appetite. Some of us enjoy an extensive variety of choices while others choose to or have to limit our selection. Based on personal preferences, we may eat to live or live to eat. Food selection and consumption are among the many decisions we make daily.
What are your favorite foods? Which do you enjoy more: Home cooking or dining at a restaurant? Do your tastes run to ethnic foods or traditional American cuisine? Perhaps you enjoy comfort or soul foods that are filling, cultural and heartwarming. After all this talk of food, is your stomach beginning to growl?
Now that your appetite is whetted, let’s consider another type of soul food: the methods by which you nourish your soul. Again, there is a plethora of choices available to quench the spiritual thirst and stave off the hunger pangs of wanting or needing more. More peace. More understanding. More joy. More of all the things that draw us closer to a meaningful relationship with God.
What is your go-to soul nourishment? Is it the Sunday worship service? The Christian radio station? Your personal playlist? A blog site or YouTube videos? A prayer group or book club? Daily devotionals or Bible many choices!
While our bodies have an expressed need for food on a daily basis, so do our souls. When we consciously fill our days with God moments things tend to go better. A morning prayer sets the tone for the day. A brief inspirational reading provides a boost of energy at lunchtime. Listening to uplifting music on the way home fuels the “yes, I can do this” attitude.
Your days are packed with fulfilling the needs of others. When you feel drained, tap into your spiritual tool box to reconnect with God, the source of your energy and inspiration. Reading and meditating on God’s word solidifies our personal connection with him. It helps us to recall his promises when we need them most. Participating in Sunday service and church sponsored activities places us in community with people who love God and others. It’s a safe place to share hopes and dreams. Streaming Christ-centered shows and videos brings to life the true character of God and how he may work in your life. It gives us a visual representation of Christ moving among us in this day and time.
Much like you would consider the items on a menu in a restaurant, choose carefully the soul nourishment that works well with your current lifestyle or the lifestyle you hope to achieve. Will you live to eat or eat to live?