lean souls

"...then they believed His words;

They sang His praise.

They soon forgot His works;

They did not wait for His counsel,

But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,

And tested God in the desert.

And He gave them their request,

But sent leanness into their soul."

Psalm 106:12-15

This verse really stuck out to me today as I was reading Psalm 106, which is a confession of the Israelites' unfaithfulness (in spite of God's perfect faithfulness). Sometimes God gives us what we so desperately desire, even when it's not His best for us. The result? A lean soul. That phrase "but sent leanness into their soul" is so painfully descriptive. I pictured a dog. He's mangy, his ribs are showing. He isn't dead, but there is obviously something wrong.

If we truly follow Christ and accept HIS best for our lives, I suppose we will have a hearty soul. If we insist that we know best, God might just grant our prayers, resulting in a lean soul. I don't know about you, but I choose Christ and pursuing a hearty and healthy soul!