Overcoming Spiritual Malaise: Roy Bryan Moore
How do you overcome the fatigue that may come with negative information overload? The other day I needed a break from the negative news creating a downcast spirit within me. My heart wanted to cry. But instead of trying to stay informed, I looked up Christian Music on YouTube. First, I listened to Phil Keaggy, one of the most incredible guitarists back in the ancient history of Contemporary Christian Music.
I then clicked on Toby Mac singing “Love Broke Through.” Next, I clicked on an amazing video called The Evolution of Worship Music, a brief a cappella medley which presents highlights of Christian sounds for almost the last 1,500 years! The music transported me to the threshold of heaven!
Then it happened! Kristene DiMarco appeared on my computer screen singing her rendition of “It is Well.” Suddenly, Heaven came down and Glory filled my soul! I surfed right on by the Pearly Gates as my feet touched the streets of gold! My eyes beheld lightning flash from the very throne of God!
My spirit was raised to Higher Ground as I worshipped Christ our Lord! My heart wanted to cry as an attitude of worship swept over me. Deep within my members, I sensed a spiritual healing. It was then that I knew. It was well. All was well, with my soul! Thanks be to God!
However, if I am like you, my spiritual mountaintop experiences are short-lived. This current pandemic has dragged both my mind and spirit down into the valley. Especially in my mind, negative information overload is not the only culprit toying with my brain. For instance, sometimes, after wearing a face mask for a while during the day, I feel a bit mentally tired. The tired feeling may come from breathing my own carbon dioxide. I call the sensation Pandemic Malaise.
On top of this, making changes (again) in the ways we operate in this unusual setting may foster the experience of Pandemic Malaise. To me, negative news, face masks, and constant changes seem to slow down my thinking process. To paraphrase one person’s lamentation, she felt like her mind was walking through mud.
Since at times I have felt my concentration shift gears downward, I have recently made a deliberate attempt to kickstart my brain. As I say, Christian music may lift my spirits. Yet with my mind, sometimes I concentrate on trying to learn some new words in another language. (Hablas español?) Of course, I am pathetic at this mental exercise. But that’s not the point. My goal is to strain my brain; to reactivate my mind.
This leads me back to where I began, in the realm of the Spirit. I wonder if many of us are also going through a form of Spiritual Malaise. Has your interest in spiritual connections taken a hit in the last few months? It’s understandable, with all we have been through. But at some point, it’s key to realize, like our minds, our spirits also need reactivating. If we allow ourselves to keep drifting downwards, Spiritual Malaise may do damage to the soul!
To recover our spiritual concentration, let me suggest, it may be time to try to learn some new words in the language of the Spirit. We trust, straining the brain to learn words in a new language will kickstart the mind. In a similar way, learning the language of the Spirit holds the potential to jumpstart one’s weary spirit. You may begin by opening a Bible with a goal to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Pay close attention to the words of Jesus and apply them to your life.
Also, as you know, it’s good to learn another language by communicating consistently with others who know the same language. If your health allows, one of the best ways to learn the language of the Spirit comes through fellowship with others at in-person worship services.
You may also learn the language of the Spirit with other believers via watching worship services on Facebook Live, sending and receiving text messages, Zoom, FaceTime, emails, or making good old-fashioned telephone calls to encourage, and to receive encouragement from, other believers in Christ.
Let’s not allow Pandemic Malaise to hinder our spiritual growth. Now’s an ideal time to jumpstart our spirits! Listen to inspirational Christian music. Dive into the teachings of Christ. Connect with other believers in order to learn the language of the Spirit. (Parlez-vous francais?)
RB Moore is a pastor at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Monroe. We continue our connection with his community in serving on yearly outreaches. RB has a wonderful character and tends to always draw a laugh from those he encounters. He is a joyful leader and loves each person he gets the chance to meet fiercely.