So, How's Your Soul?

So, How's Your Soul?

A sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Randy K. Hammer electronically on March 22, 2020

“He restoreth my soul.” Psalm 23:3

“Let not your heart be troubled.” John 14:27

So, how’s your soul?  Such is a question that is relevant almost any time and any day of the year.  But today it seems all the more relevant, as we are now living in a time of great uncertainty.  So again, how is your soul, or spirit?  Stressed?  Troubled?  Anxious?  Most of us would have to answer in the affirmative to all of the above, I imagine.

As we watch the evening news and the latest reports on the stock market, and the spread and effects of the cornonavirus, our personal stress meters may be approaching the red danger zone.  Wondering if or when the virus will come knocking on our door, or the door of a loved one, we may find ourselves wringing our hands with worry.  Concerned over loved ones from whom we are separated, who live in another part of the state, or another state or country altogether, we may find our anxiety level escalating.  In short, our souls may be at dis-ease.  The truth is, our soul or spirit can become ill just as our body can.

For millennia people have drawn upon their faith to help them get through difficult times, to offer care for their souls.  And one of the most comforting and reassuring passages in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures that the faithful have turned to time and again is the beloved 23^rd Psalm.  This psalm, by chance, happens to be one of the Lectionary readings that many churches will be reading today, if not in person, then in live-streamed or video-taped services, such as this one.

There are so many comforting images in this beloved psalm, but the one that seems most appropriate for today is when the psalmist says, “He restoreth my soul.”  Or as a couple of more contemporary translations render it, “He renews my strength” (NLT), and “He gives me new strength” (GNT).  Isn’t such what we find ourselves in need of as we face the challenges before us today – restoration for the soul?  Renewed inner strength? 

But shouldn’t we also be interested in preventive wellness for the soul?  That is, not waiting until our soul or spirit is in trouble, but taking preemptive steps to make sure that our souls or spirits stay healthy during these uncertain and stressful weeks that lie before us?

And so, just as we are taking steps to keep our physical bodies healthy and disease free, I would like to offer a few suggestions to help us keep our spiritual or emotional selves healthy as well:

1.  Such as maintaining a vital spirituality.  Writer Thomas Moore, in his best-seller titled Care of the Soul, warned, “The soul . . . needs a spirituality . . . a particular kind of spirituality.”  These times present us with the opportunity to find comfort and inspiration in reading scripture or other inspirational writings, whether it be the poetry of Mary Oliver or Wendell Berry, or the self-help writings of Mark Nepo or Barbara Brown Taylor or someone else.  Finding a spot for quiet meditation and reflection somewhere in the home or outdoors, perhaps adorned with a candle, picture, statue, small piece of stained glass, or something gleaned from nature is a wonderful way to nurture the soul, as is finding a quiet place to listen to inspirational music.

2.  Seek to maintain a sense of community.  During this time when we are under the rules of “social distancing,” it is vitally important that we maintain a sense of community the best we can through more frequent phone conversations with good friends and family.  If we can Skype or Facetime so that we can actually see each other’s faces, that is even better.  We Facetimed with our daughter’s family last Sunday evening.  And it was like medicine for the soul just to get to hear their voices, see their faces and their reassuring smiles.

3.  Talking a walk, bicycling, or exercising in some other way is essential to good soul health.  The other morning as I drove into church, I happened to notice a great number of people walking at the Civic Center, more than I have ever seen before. 

4.  Developing or refocusing on a creative hobby such as painting, woodworking, quilting, pottery-making, writing, photography, or cooking, and so on can prove to be excellent therapy for the soul.  I personally hope to spend some time in the coming weeks in my woodshop turning out some wooden candle holders and bowls, as well as more nature photography.  Now is also a time to get in the kitchen and try some new recipes and maybe even cook or bake something for someone else.  Such leads to the next suggestion,

5.  Finding a way to serve others is also good for the soul.  Checking in on others, especially those who live alone, taking food (maybe cookies, a loaf of bread, or casserole) to another, and such helps uplift our spirit as well as the spirit of the other we reach out to.

6.  And let nature be your healer.  Naturalist John Muir said that everyone needs nature that can heal and give strength to body and soul alike. Hanging a bird feeder in your trees and feeding and watching the birds can be a wonderful and uplifting pastime and help bring calm to the anxious soul. 

     None of us would have chosen the situation we find ourselves in today, with all the closings, social distancing, and the worry and stress that have been thrust upon us.  But it is imperative that we take care of ourselves, both outside and inside.  Let us determine to care for and keep well our emotional and spiritual selves by adhering to those activities that hold value in caring for and restoring the soul.  Amen.