Slightly Dry?

By Rev. Sheri D. Smith Clayborn, Contributing Writer

I recently purchased a plant and the tag on it read, “Please water me when my soil is slightly dry.” Our six-year-old daughter, however, read, “please water me when my soul is slightly dry.” The young prophet’s words reminded me that we must periodically ask ourselves, regardless of how long we have been Christian, in the church, and fighting the good fight of faith, “Is my soul slightly dry?”

Fighting the good fight of faith will leave us parched, in the desert, looking like our oppressor has gotten the victory if we don’t stop by the filling station regularly. The filling station is where we pause long enough to connect with God. It is there that God searches and fills us. Regardless of how we have been called to fight the good fight of faith, if we are not intentional about our self-care, our souls begin to reflect the dry place where we are called to fight.

The good fight of faith seeks to shut the mouth of injustice while giving God the glory. It is this fight that puts us in the face of spiritual wickedness. Spiritual wickedness is not seeking to take our stuff but our very souls. In high places, it seeks to distract us from Sabbath rest, Sunday worship, personal devotional time, self-care, truth, justice, grace, mercy, and communing with those who would hold up our arms and hold space for us. It seeks to diminish our hearing of what God is saying and our will to follow.

This pandemic season has been filled with an enduring loss, with questions of whether Black Lives Matter. It has suppressed the voice of the oppressed, inspired bullying, produced irresponsible and deceptive rhetoric, and equated anti-abortion with pro-life while dismissing poor, black, and brown people; women; and LGBTQ+ lives that are being taken.

We have to recognize that fighting this good fight can make us parched. It can leave us in a lonely place, wondering who cares and if it is worth it. We can even start to question whether we are making a difference or have heard and followed the call of God in our lives. 

Recognizing that our soul is slightly dry is important because it is the precursor to feeling empty. Non-stop fighting—even the fight of faith—without God searching us and pouring into the vessel, is a set up for the dry place. 

The filling station is the place of prayer, meditation, and introspection (Psalm 139). It is here that we are refreshed by God’s presence, wisdom, guidance, and power. We can find this filling station in a variety of places such as our prayer closet, Bible study, family time, therapy, exercise, conversation, corporate worship, dancing, painting, and more.

With our continued press toward social justice, overcoming the pandemic, and personal struggles, we must take time for spiritual renewal. God has given us filling stations where the Spirit of God will meet and water us when our souls are slightly dry.