Keep the Fires Burning

Over the last few weeks many of you will have heard me talking about a book that I really enjoyed reading over Christmas and the New Year. It is called “The Way of the Warrior” by Erwin McManus. I love reading books about Leadership and Church but this is a bit different. I found it much more personal and was much more about my relationship with God than about how I might lead. But of course that is actually really important. Unless our relationship with God is good and growing it is hopeless trying to lead or help others in theirs.

There were many things that really struck me from this book, but one of the critical lessons was around the health of my soul. McManus reminds us that just like a fire needs to be fed with material e.g. wood to burn brightly so our souls need to be fed with fuel to stay alight and healthy. At one point McManus says this “The (spiritual) warrior has learned how to harness their strength, focus their power and replenish their energy.”

And of course in the winter you have to work hard to find the fuel but it is even more important to ensure that the fire doesn’t go out.

So the question arises for each of us: “What is the fuel/wood for our souls. What is the stuff that ignites our passions, fans the flame of our relationship with God and breathes oxygen into the fire of our spirit?”

For each of us it will be different. And there will be different things that feed different parts of our souls…fuel for refreshment, fuel for keeping us passionate and encouraged, fuel for ensuring we remain full of energy and focus. And as McManus says “When we love our lives, we are inspired, encouraged and energised to face even life’s greatest challenges.”

So what’s the fuel that keeps your soul alight? In the winter seasons of life it might take more hunting out but find it, use it and make plans to go on finding it and using it. Intentionality is key to so much in life and being intentional about feeding our souls is vital.

God bless

Chris

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