Help for a Downcast Soul
The first month of 2023 was a whirlwind of work and travel. But as I prepared to return home from my last trip, I felt pain in my back. The icing on the cake was when the plane landed with a hard jolt. By the following day, I could barely walk. Thus began six weeks of being unexpectedly sidelined.
Despite my intensive efforts, healing was slow. My productivity plummeted. Instead of my usual tasks, I visited doctors and physical therapists and struggled to get dressed and prepare food.
After my hopes for quick improvement were dashed, discouragement began sneaking into my spirit. Day after day, between stretching, walking, and trying to complete tasks, I lay on the sofa (the only comfortable position), staring at the ceiling. I felt like a cast sheep.
In his lovely book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, author W. Phillip Keller says, "A cast sheep is a very pathetic sight. Lying on its back, its feet in the air, it flays away frantically, struggling to stand up without success. Sometimes it will bleat a little for help, but generally, it lies there lashing about in frightened frustration."
Sheep can become stuck on their backs in several ways. Sometimes, they lie down in a comfortable place, unaware of its slope, which can cause them to roll. Other times, they are so heavy with wool or excess weight that they lose their balance and cannot right themselves. Prone sheep are helpless; being cast will prove fatal if the animal is not found quickly and set upright.
Although I was not in danger of dying from my back injury, I could see some parallels. Like a helpless sheep, I was stuck on my back due to circumstances beyond my control. That similarity was obvious. But as the weeks progressed and improvement proved elusive, the less apparent issue was that I felt spiritually cast.
In the spiritual realm, casting is a state of being discouraged in one's soul. It's not clinical depression (which requires medical or psychological care). Instead, it is a sadness about the brokenness of the world and the fact that we are not yet home, fully restored in the presence of God.
As integrated beings, our physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual parts are inexorably linked; whatever affects one part impacts them all. My temporary physical condition caused me to mourn the body's frailty and the reality of the human situation. Being slowed down by the injury also allowed me time to mentally process some recent sad events in my family and community. I felt the weight of all this in my spirit and longed for things on earth to be as they are in Heaven: perfect.
Despite doing everything in my power, there was no quick fix for my body, nor could I restore my soul. I had been praying for physical healing but had not asked God to help my spirit. Once I consciously recognized the heaviness there, I decided to do what cast sheep do: I bleated. Speaking out loud, I told God everything I was thinking and feeling, holding nothing back. And like a good shepherd who sets aright his overturned sheep, that is what God did for me. Somehow, my sense of hope and peace was renewed, and I felt refreshed. The lightness stayed with me, even as my back continued to hurt.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” -Psalm 23:1-3
It is not uncommon for Christians to sometimes feel low in spirit. Even though this immortal part of us is eternally secure in Christ, all sorts of forces work against it on earth. We shouldn’t be surprised by the struggle. Still, my sudden bout of spiritual weariness caught me off-guard. We can't always predict what will afflict our souls, whether an accumulation of micro problems, a perfect storm of difficulties, or a major catastrophe.
Spiritual dejection can happen suddenly or after months of ignoring the warning signs. A dullness of the soul, a feeling of fruitlessness, and resistance to spending time with God or others are all clues. Experiencing anguish, discouragement, resignation, despair, grief, and lack of compassion are symptoms. In some seasons, being cast down can be a daily threat.
Just as sheep can help each other in some ways, other Christians provide invaluable support in life and faith. But sheep can’t flip each other over, nor can other humans restore each others’ souls. Only God can offer that gift.
Too often, I am quick to ask for the healing of my body while ignoring the more critical needs of my spirit. Maybe because problems with our bodies are more readily apparent, but spiritual matters are harder to pin down. Yet, the soul is the most vital part of our being, where deep connects to deep: the place where our spirits relate to God. Even before we become downcast, when life's problems, sorrows, and fears pile up on our souls, we can bring them to God if we pay attention.
God always says yes when we call on Him to tend to our weary souls. It is for our souls that Jesus came and died, and for our souls, He still intercedes for us in Heaven. And sometimes, the very things that knock us down are the things that make us look up to Him for help.
Whatever the cause of a downcast soul, the solution is the same: to bleat like an overturned, helpless sheep. Share everything with God (He knows it all anyway) and trust Him to help. He is the Good Shepherd and always stands ready to rescue, refresh, and renew our spirits as we put our hope and faith in Him.
Keller, W. Phillip. (1970, 2007). A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.