This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
   to break the chains of injustice,
   get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
   free the oppressed,
   cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
   sharing your food with the hungry,
   inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
   putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
   being available to your own families. Isaiah 58:6-7 (MSG)

A friend and counselor once asked me to give a name to my pain. He asked me to define and to tag that deep, nagging ache in my spirit that never seems to go away and tends to motivate poor behaviors and choices. The name I gave to my soul pain is "Not Enough."

Not big enough.
Not old enough.
Not athletic enough.
Not good enough.
Not pure enough.
Not attractive enough.
Not strong enough.
Not man enough.

I read today's chapter.

Not giving enough.
Not  gracious enough.
Not loving enough.
Not available enough.

My soul aches this morning.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and dimitridf