We are all too familiar with getting a hole in a sock. It’s common to children, youth, and even adults. It’s part of the journey of life along with the missing sock that gets sucked into the black hole of the washing machine, leaving behind an unwanted orphaned sock, forever abandoned. At least we can mend the hole in a sock and look forward to another cozy day together. But what do we do when we get a hole in our spirit?

Have a Hole in your Sock?

Often the first hole in a sock appears at the big toe. It’s an annoying trait of socks that holes eventually appear — usually at the most unfortunate or embarrassing times. Visit a friend and remove your shoes to enter his/her house and somehow your toe seems to know that now is a great time to break free. Whether at school gym class, or after a hard day at work, our socks get worn and soon a hole appears. We are then reminded that it is time to buy a new pair or a whole package of socks.

Have a Hole in your Spirit?

But what happens to you when you get a hole worn in your spirit? Do you go out and purchase a new spirit? Can you mend it with your sewing kit? Whatever you do, the holes continue to appear.

Often we look at external forces that are causing our spirit to get worn down when, perhaps, it might be more beneficial to look at how your own spirit might be causing the holes.

Take a hearty look at your “spiritual feet.” Take some time to wiggle your toes in the sand of God’s love and Christ’s salvation. Make sure that what you stand on will support you and not wear you down.

How does a spirit get worn down?

Many parts of our lives drain us when they could be filling us up. For a youth what could be called the prime of life can often be tumultuous as studies, relationships, and the struggles of growing up often wear at our spirit. Serving in a position in the church could be uplifting when sometimes it is not. Participating in athletics can help both spirit and body. But often the requirements for sports consume a large portion of a youth’s time. For adults, work could be edifying when often it is tedious, hectic work. Parenting, household chores, and taking care of the family can be wearing on both body and spirit. Both youth and adults go to bed, knowing that they have to wake up the next morning just to do it all over again.

Every time you make a commitment, some of your free time is going to vanish. And if you wear many hats, you will end up simply trying to get by.

Find Focus to reduce the Wear

Stop this madness. It’s time to sit down and set your focus. Our focus will determine our priorities and the manner in which we accomplish those things which are necessary. Often it is not the bad things that wear holes in our soul, but doing too many good things instead of focusing on the best. We need to recognize that some things we do have greater significance than others.

Are there any activities you could do without? What activities are using a lot of time and are not very productive in fulfilling God’s will for your life? These activities are wearing holes in your spiritual socks.

You can replace your spiritual socks by regaining focus. You can repair them by losing what is simply time consuming. Remember to walk closely with God. God will make sure that your spiritual socks are always in good repair.

Our walk with God is commonly known as discipleship. Unfortunately some of us have allowed our ourselves to become spiritually worn out and sidelined.

• What things have you allowed to wear you down spiritually that you need to remove from your life?
• What holes have been left in your soul that need to be mended?
• What can be done to help you regain your spiritual focus?
• How can you return to your Christian walk, to discipleship in your life?
• Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Romans 12: 1-2 for more ideas on mending the holes in your soul.

Look to the cross to mend your soul

Maybe the best place to look in mending the holes in your spirit is to the cross. At the cross Jesus became very well acquainted with holes:

• A crown of thorns was placed upon his head, the sharp thorns puncturing holes in his scalp and brow.
• There were holes in his hands and feet where the soldiers nailed him to the cross.
• A hole in his side spewed blood and water when the soldier speared him.

But it was the hole in his heart that was the biggest – a heartbroken by the sin of you and me. It was the reason he came to us, to mend the hole created by sin. Jesus died on that cross to mend our soul and spirit wounded by sin, but that wasn’t the last hole. You see, there was one more hole that Christ faced that would change everything.

They took his body down from the cross and it was placed in a borrowed hole, a tomb, by Joseph of Arimathea. Three days later Jesus left the hole and was alive. And with the conquering of the grave he proved that there was no hole too big, too deep, too painful, too dark, too impossible to overcome, that God cannot heal.

So look to the cross. Look to Jesus, for the mending of your soul. Look to him for His priorities for your life. Not only will you find healing, but also renewal. You’ll be able to move from a life of holes and a worn out spirit to a holy life filled with his joy and strength for each new day.