A Strong Inner Life
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. ”
I am always amazed how two siblings from the same family, raised with the same values and opportunities, can turn out so differently. One becomes successful in many different parts of their life, while the other sibling remains stunted, self-centered, and unproductive. The difference in the siblings occurs because some part of the stunted sibling’s inner life was warped somehow. The weak person heard a negative internal message that caused them to feel limited and unworthy of what their life had to offer.
We have an inner and outer life, and if we experience one without the other, we remain only half alive. The outer life is the one we offer through our humor, commitments, and beliefs shared with others. The inner life is the place we hold for ourselves. Our inner life also has humor, commitments, and ideas, but they are nurtured in our minds and souls yet offered to the world. The inner life is where we ponder and encourage our ideas, thoughts, and beliefs before we give them to the world around us.
The inner life, like the outer life, can be faithful, engaging, and profound, or it can be shallow, self-centered, and boring. What we spend our time thinking about can positively or negatively impact our daily lives. Our entertainments affect what we consider in our inner life. Too much of the shallow can negatively influence our inner life, which will also impact our outer life.
Today, consider your inner life and how it affects the outer life you share with others. Thank God for the positive supports you’ve experienced that nurtured your depth of character. Then, consider the moments in life where you chose to act in ways that negatively impacted your inner and outer life. What negative voices kept you from fulfilling your best self? Then, ask God to give you the wisdom necessary to nurture your inner life, so your outer life can bring joy and love to yourself and others and honor the God your worship.
