All is Calm

Knowing that some who read this will still have their Christmas decorations up, it seems appropriate to take an inspirational approach and tie-in this month’s featured topic – restless leg syndrome – with the bigger story of this season of the year. What is manifesting in an increasing number of people’s legs – tingling, odd sensations, antsy, itching urges and discomfort – is a metaphor for a global anxiety and lack of peace. Churches and Cathedrals all over the globe just revisited the relevance of God sending one called “The Prince of Peace” to that Bethlehem manger on what became known as that Silent Night. Even to this day, to the degree we disregard Jesus, we forfeit the peace that could be ours. Jesus said,

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:27

About this peace, the Apostle Paul wrote that those who pray to Jesus discover a “peace that surpasses understanding.” In other words, circumstances can be such that we ought to be anything but peaceful; but though we can’t explain it, all is well with our souls. The reality of what I’m writing about will change your life and the waves of this supernatural peace can touch every area of your life including your relationships, and every part of your body, including your restless legs.

Break a Leg

In the Bible, the leg is a symbol of both strength and pride. Psalm 147:10 says God “takes no pleasure in the legs of man.” The muscular strength of the legs of a runner portrays his pride. In a variety of places in the Old Testament, we find passages connecting legs with strength and pride.  “His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold.” (Song of Solomon 5:15)  Of course, there are also King Nebuchadnezzar’s “legs of iron.”

In the New Testament, the only reference to legs is in John 19:31-33 in connection with the soldiers wanting to break the legs of Jesus on the cross. It was customary in crucifixion to break the legs of the one on the cross as additional punishment and shame, and to speed up death. Jesus’ legs were not broken which, unknowingly to the soldiers, fulfilled a centuries-old prophecy that none of his bones would be broken.

In my work as a spiritual coach, I help people grow spiritually even as they struggle physically, mentally and emotionally.  The spiritual dimension of a person is hard-wired to these other more tangible dimensions of our being. When a person reports a physical problem, such as restless leg syndrome, my role has been to help them discern root causes, many of which are spiritual in nature. Knowing that the God who made us can make us well (and that He made the things that make us well, i.e. natural remedies) I encourage people to go to God first with their struggles. Skipping that important step means we go to the doctor first and that too often results in us taking meds to treat symptoms and not root causes.

No Leg To Stand On

With any of the tangible bodily manifestations of anxiety and restlessness, I start with something I’ve found to be true…

No Jesus, no peace.

Know Jesus, know peace.

Admittedly, it sounds trite. I probably first picked that up on someone’s bumper sticker, but that doesn’t make it any less true.  Peace is a person, a person who didn’t stay distant up in His pristine heaven. He took on humanity in that manger and fully entered into human pain and suffering. The theological term for that is the Incarnation: God took on flesh. Flesh has nerves and nerves transmit feeling.  All this to say, Jesus can connect to how we feel. He relates to restless nerves and invites us to come to him with what hurts us to discover His ability to heal and make well.

On occasion, God seems to allow a trial — such as restless leg syndrome — to perfect something else in us.  We need to inquire of Him, through prayer and meditation on His Word, if there is a redemptive purpose in our suffering. As legs symbolize strength and pride, it would seem logical to review what God might be doing in your life in those areas. Through physical trials He strips us of things like pride, and even strength, so that we come to the place where we glory only in Him.

One of my favorite prayers is that Jesus would increase in my life and that I would decrease. More of Him means more peace. My testimony is that God uses trials, even physical ones, to deal with root causes issues in my heart.

The medical community will continue to uncover specific deficiencies (such as iron or anxiety) as they relate to muscle and nerve discomfort. Natural ointments, salves, rubs, stretches, exercises and dietary changes all are part of the package available to us for relief. Yet, there is more: relating in love to the One who made us is the key to Him making us well.