Engage

“Souls Starved by Activism”

Arthur Michael Ramsey (1904-1988) who used this phrase argued that there was not enough quiet in the world. He loved spaces and places of silence. As the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury in England (1961-1974) toward the end of one millennia he advocated a life style that seemed out of step with the coming techno-savy, fast moving new millennium.

Arthur Michael Ramsey (1904-1988) who used this phrase argued that there was not enough quiet in the world. He loved spaces and places of silence. As the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury in England (1961-1974) toward the end of one millennia he advocated a life style that seemed out of step with the coming techno-savy, fast moving new millennium.

Did he not understand that productivity and success are king? Did he not get the value of expediency and realize that faster was better and the bottom line reigned over process? That winning triumphs over personal impact?

 

Was he antiquated, out of date or was he on to something? This choosing to have a life style balanced by intentional periods and spaces of quiet slowing?

What IS the impact on our souls of living in the fast lane?  the speed of technology? the volume of sound and multiple sensory images? It is critical, at least, to have an awareness of the impact and then decide if you need to make some adjustments.

It is estimated that American adults receive 16,000 sensory images per day and the world’s knowledge doubles every 18 months and on and on. This alone creates an anxiety that you can never keep up or relate to it all or even be relevant. As the AT&T commercial states… “that was so 27 seconds ago!

“People in a hurry never have time for recovery. Their minds have little time to meditate and pray so that problems can be put in perspective. In short, people in our age are showing signs of physiological disintegration because we are living at a pace that is too fast for our bodies.”  (Archibald Hart in Adrenaline and Stress)

“The great malady of 20th century implicated in all of our trouble and affecting us individually and socially is ‘loss of soul’.” (Thomas Moore in Care of the Soul)  Most likely in the 21st century this has escalated.

“The meaning of our existence is not, as we have grown used to thinking, in prosperity, but in the development of the soul? “ Alexander Solzhenitzn

“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Jesus Matthew 16:26

If my soul is being starved by activism and if I am experiencing soul neglect, what can I do? Where do I begin?

Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart offers, “the essence of soul care is about strengthening our personal presence in the presence of Christ – immersion in the Trinitarian Presence.”

This takes time. It cannot be done in a hurry. Slow down. Push the pause button. Take a deep breath and wait a minute…what about accepting Jesus’s invitation?
 
“Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters; he restores my soul.” Psalm 23

“But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” Psalm 130:2

Consider your response to fast lane living. How will you incorporate this from Psalm 46:10?
“Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth?” An alternative to your being starved by activism.

For further reading:
Anderson, Fil. Running on Empty, Contemplative Spirituality for Overachievers. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press, 2004.
Demarest, Bruce. SoulGuide, Following Jesus as Spiritual Director. Colorado Springs,CO: NavPress,2003.
Hart, Archibald D. Adrenaline and Stress. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1995.
Shores, Steve. Stressbusters, for Teens under Pressure.Ann Arbor, MI. Servant Publications,2002.

 

Gail Seidel served as Mentor Advisor for Spiritual Formation in the Department of Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) and as an Adjunct Professor in the D Min in Spiritual Formation in the D Min Department at Dallas Theological Seminary. She has a BA in English from the University of Texas, a Masters in Christian Education from Dallas Seminary and a D Min in Spiritual Formation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is a contributor to the textbook, Foundations of Spiritual Formation, Kregel Academic. She served as co-director for Christian Women in Partnership Russia with Entrust, an international church leadership-training mission. She and her husband Andy live in Fredericksburg, Texas. They have 2 married children and 6 wonderful grandchildren--Kami, Kourtney, Katie, Mallory, Grayson, and Avery.

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