Sharpening your Saw: Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul
While reading The Epic of Gilgamesh for a class discussion these three words in the poem struck me: “a restless heart.” Queen Ninsun becomes concerned about her son Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh has a lion’s strength, Lucifer pride, and “a restless heart.” He tells his mother he must “travel on a road he does not know!” Like any praying mother, Queen Ninsun turns to her god with raised arms and asks, “Why have you imposed—nay, inflicted—a restless heart on my son, Gilgamesh!”
“A restless heart” is painful. To be restless indicates one is not satisfied with what they have or what they are doing. A restless heart can put us on a path that will cause chaos, pain, and loss. And sometimes wanting more. Have you ever had “a restless heart”? In the blog post, The Unexpected Surprises of God, the result of my restless heart causes me to travel two hours, take three trains and walk a few city blocks, while battling four-way traffic and construction.
Indeed, I was in search of something to take such a long journey from the comfort of my home. Gilgamesh is also on a journey in search of something that will take him far away from the comfort of his home. A journey is traveling from one place to another. A journey can be both physical and spiritual, in which a gradual growth takes place.
How can we develop through the next stage of our life if we are full of pride? If we are in search of fame? Gilgamesh is both full of pride and in search of fame. Before the journey the Elders counsel him, saying: “do not put your trust in (just) your vast strength, but keep a sharp eye out, make each blow strike in mark!” (Tablet III). The Elders also advise Gilgamesh to take a friend who knows the route and will protect him.
Gilgamesh’s restless heart, his mother’s angst, and counsel from elders remind me of how God’s Word can prevent us from a restless heart when on a spiritual journey toward Christlikeness. We must be content as Paul writes in Philippians 4:11-13.
Be content regardless of your circumstance. Be happy with what you have instead of laboring for more and more: more clothes, shoes, travel, friends, food. More writing, drawing, painting. In Ecclesiastes 2:11, King Solomon takes note of everything he has done, all his hard work and sweat resulted in “vanity and grasping for wind.” There’s no profit, no spiritual growth. When I’m being content, I don’t get restless about books I’ve yet to read, prose I want to write and places I want to visit.
Being content includes living humbly with much or with little. It took me years to learn how to be humble. I never seemed to have enough and when I had enough, it wasn’t enough. Therefore, I grumbled. I was complaining about all the Lord had given me like the Israelites in the desert complaining about God’s sustenance. I’m most humbled when I look in the refrigerator and the shelves are not overflowing with a varied selection of vegetables, meat, and cheeses. Yet, I can still create two or three meals to feed my family.
To be content and being content surely points us to the ability to “do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” When on a spiritual journey, we must trust God’s word and not rely on our own strength. Sometimes that means asking a friend for help, asking for prayer and praying. Like the Elders advised Gilgamesh, we should “keep a sharp eye out.” We have to stay focused on Christ, not our selfish pleasures, wants, and needs.
Unfortunately for Gilgamesh, his restless heart brought demise to his dear friend who accompanied him on his journey. Gilgamesh suffered grief, fear, and heartbreak.
Until next time,
I love you!