Greetings, friends.
I just returned yesterday afternoon from performing a wedding in Arizona for a young couple from our church. All went very well, and I’m glad to be back home with the family. While I was away, I finished reading a book by Pete Scazzero, a pastor from Queens in New York. His book is called “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality.” His primary thesis is that the only way to true spiritual maturity is through emotional health. Our emotions are a vital part of who God created us to be, yet many of us tend to neglect them, or we let them control us in unhealthy ways.

Scazzero paints the picture of spiritual health and emotional health being integrally linked. Feeding our soul will involve cultivating habits that foster balance in all areas of our life. He encourages developing the “contemplative life” with disciplines such as Bible study and meditation, solitude and silence, Sabbath rest, loving others out of love for God, and practicing the presence of God in unceasing prayer. However, he states that these should not be done out of obligation or duty, but rather only to the extent and in a way that you personally find enjoyable and encouraging. In other words, you should look forward to engaging in spiritual practices rather than checking them off a “to do” list.

He delves into the importance of recognizing, managing and expressing our emotions, and communicating them to others in constructive ways. Resolving conflict and establishing boundaries in relationships is also a part of emotional health, as well as breaking the power of the past, guilt and destructive patterns we may have developed. Whew – lots to work on, but very significant toward our conforming into the image of Christ.

There is much more that he discusses in the book, but his thoughts helped me to reflect on how healthy (or unhealthy) I am emotionally. Like many people, I try to care for my physical body and my spiritual life, but my emotions just kind of get the leftovers. I don’t laugh enough, I don’t have enough down time and reflection, and my quiet times with the Lord are oftentimes flavored more with responsibility than with freedom and delight.

I was just talking with a friend this morning about some of these issues, and he pointed out what joy we could have in our walk with Christ if we really grasped this and lived it out! Emotional health, spiritual maturity, freedom and joy – I’m eager to move in that direction.

Please join me in praying this week:
Praise God for the plan of emotional and spiritual health which He has for us, and praise Him for the gift of His Spirit who helps us move there. Pray for the grace to grow in patterns of health, and to enjoy the journey.

God’s grace to us all.
Pressing on,
Eric