Heart Burn

It amazes me the number of physical ailments that can be symbolic of spiritual ailments (and that usually occur at the same time). Right now it is heartburn, both because my peptic ulcer is acting up and because my angry child is acting up. My stomach and chest feel like they are on fire, as does my spirit. And they are definitely connected, as the millisecond I shouted at my daughter, my midsection felt like an erupting volcano.

The best prescription for both is light fasting. My body needs the foods that help it to heal- bananas, milk, broth, crackers. And my soul needs the light foods of the Word- the fruits of the spirit, manna from above, the milk of the scriptures. Both physicians call for the absence of meat for a while. Trying to digest meat (physically or spiritually) at this time would be pointless and only cause more pain. It's hard, because I like meat. Both physically and spiritually, I like meat a lot. I'm particular about what meats I like, but what I do enjoy, I could consume in great quantities. But my body and soul need healing, and to ignore the prescription for healing would be to prolong the ailment.

My hope is that if I do as instructed, I will be healed soon. If I am careful to follow the advice of The Physician (and the physician) I could return to my regular consumption very soon. But before I can get there, I have to go through the healing process. Sometimes the healing hurts even more than the ailment for a while, but the end result makes it necessary. Without healing, I could be killing myself (spiritually and physically), so I will obey.