4 Ways to Start Soaking in Life (#4 A Hot Shower for the Soul)

I used to love taking my kids camping when they were little.  We would pitch our tent at one of the local state parks and enjoy a day or two of hiking, hot dogs, campfires, and ghost stories.  It’s sort of pathetic, but my favorite part of any camping trip never occurred during the trip itself.  It happened when I got home.  I’d unpack the car and put everything away.  Then I would hop in the shower and turn it up to the hottest temperature I could tolerate.   After a couple of days of sweat and dirt in the woods, that hot shower was absolute heaven.

As Catholics, we can have this same exact feeling in a spiritual sense whenever we go to Confession.   Our lives are a lot like that camping trip.  No matter what we do, the sweat and the dirt of the world is going to accumulate on us.  Because of our fallen nature, we will make mistakes and have to carry the baggage of those mistakes.  Over time, the baggage accumulates and begins to weigh us down.  If only we had a way to unload this baggage…

Fortunately for us, Jesus gave us a concrete way to unload this baggage and give it to Him.  (Let’s face it, He is much more equipped to deal with it than we are.)  When He established His church, He gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation (i.e.: Confession) for just this purpose.   When we go to Confession and tell the priests our sins, it is like jumping in that hot shower.  At first, it can be somewhat uncomfortable.  We’re not used to being that open and vulnerable.  But after a few minutes, we get used to the openness and become aware of God’s unending love and mercy.  Then when the priest absolves us of our sins, we almost always feel an indescribable sense of refreshment and peace.  It is the spiritual equivalent of that hot shower after the camping trip.  

So, for my fourth and final suggestion of ways to start soaking in life, consider going to Confession at least every month.  (If you are not Catholic, try discussing your sins with your pastor on a regular basis.  While it is not the same as the sacrament, there is something very powerful and healing about saying your sins out loud to another person.)   When you go to Confession regularly, it does not allow that baggage to build up.  It will help you maintain clarity in your life, keep your priorities in order, and most importantly help strengthen your ability to love.  There are just no words for the sense of peace you get when you are leaving the Confessional.  You know in your heart that you just had a personal encounter with God’s mercy.  It is simply one of the greatest feelings in the world.

Over the last few days, I have offered four things that I can confidently say will transform your life for the better.  The ironic thing is that while these four things take a strong commitment of effort, they really do not require much in the way of time.  In fact, if you work on each of these areas, I think you will discover a less hectic life and will spend the time you have more effectively on what is truly important.  Ultimately, your life will be more fulfilling and you will be happier (which is pretty much what everyone wants).