A True Soft Life
Recently, I was tuned into Mid-Week Bible Study, where my Mom was teaching about how it is imperative that we as Believers understand that to get to Product (the end result of the Promise) we must go through a Process. The scriptural foundation to this specific portion of her message came from Acts 9:3-5 and Acts 26:14, which give an account of Saul’s conversion to who we now know as the Apostle Paul, as he traveled to Damascus with the intention to kill those who belonged to The Way, i.e, followers of Jesus Christ. As relayed in Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, Saul saw a bright light that blinded him and knocked him off the animal he was traveling on. Saul then heard the voice of Jesus directly asking why Saul was intent on persecuting Him. Jesus then gave instruction to Saul to go into Damascus and wait for instruction. In Damascus, Saul fasted from food and drink for three days as he waited for a believer named Ananias to come pray for him. Once Ananias prayed, Saul regained his sight and began spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, now known as Paul.
In Acts 26:14, Paul is before King Agrippa of Judea, maintaining his innocence after being arrested by the Jews. He recounts his conversion experience and includes that he heard Jesus ask him why he was “kicking against the goads”. Now I have personally both read and heard this term a number of times, and while I was able to infer what Jesus meant, I did not specifically know what kicking against the “goads” meant. My Mom, being the quintessential teacher that she is, explained that a goad, also known as a prick, was a sharp pointed stick used to prod oxen during plowing. Sometimes the oxen would kick if prodded by the goad, which caused a greater prick and thus, greater pain. Jesus essentially told Paul that he was only hurting himself by being hard-headed and foolishly resisting the will of God. My Mom proceeded to encourage those of us in attendance to reflect on our inevitable hard hearts as human beings and ask God to forgive us and soften us. As Paul learned on the road to Damascus, being perceived as hard is not the badge of honor we think it is, especially as it pertains to our Kingdom Citizen status.
This new revelation of Jesus warning Paul of the effects of being callous immediately prompted me to proclaim to God that I was no longer hard-headed or hard-hearted, but would seek to embrace the soft life. I was amused at that moment about my proclamation because of the current discourse on social media surrounding what has been described as the soft life movement. As I understand it, the soft life movement underscores unapologetically seeking a life of emotional, mental, financial, etc. luxury, while actively unburdening oneself of that which does not serve a soft life. It has specifically become popular amongst the Black Women I follow on socials, who, from a collective standpoint, have not always had their femininity and softness heralded by society. As I pondered this, my thoughts immediately went to Matthew 11. In the text, Jesus had been traveling through Galilean cities to preach and teach, and in verse 30 he instructed the crowd to, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” In this scripture, Jesus is asking us to bring to Him our burnout, numbness and heaviness. To exchange the ideologies we’ve been inundated with as a result of living in this realm, and accept his yoke of mercy, love and righteousness. To ultimately unburden ourselves by submitting to the One who already ordered our every step and desires us to live abundant lives. One aspect of the soft life movement I’ve seen is being uncompromising about engaging in relationship with a partner that affords protection and incubation, and does not elicit the need for trauma responses and defense mechanisms. Isn’t that how Jesus describes the benefits of partnering with Him in Matthew 11:30? He offers gentleness and humility, with a side of refreshment. In Psalm 23, which is undoubtedly one of the most famous Psalms, David (a former shepherd himself) describes The Lord as a Good Shepherd who makes provision for all his needs, leads him to luxurious green pastures, and creates a safe place for him to rest and drink from still and quiet waters. He continues, sharing that The Lord protects him from danger while comforting and consoling him, and refreshes his head with oil as an act of covering him and bestowing blessings upon him.
I encourage us to first seek spiritual luxury that results from being in partnership with our Good Shepherd and Burden Bearer. With The One who delicately holds our hearts in his hands, yet empowers us to boldly and courageously pursue His Sovereign will as we pilgrim through this land. For we know that through Him, true softness and safety is attainable, and times of refreshing are available.
Prayer:
Good Father, please forgive me for the times I have kicked against the goads and struggled to submit to Your perfect will for my life. As you promised in Ezekiel 36:26, please give me a new heart and a new spirit. Take out my stony, stubborn heart and give me one that is tender and responsive. Please let me be humble enough to cast my cares upon You, because I know You care for me. Help me to seek divine softness and protection from You first. Let me be abide in your Secret Place, where I am protected, refreshed and reenergized so that I may carry out the good plans you have for me.
In the Name of Jesus, our Good Shepherd,
Amen.
