Spiritual Self Care
During a counseling session with Sarah, I listened as she reflected on a spiritual dry spell a few years earlier. “I was leading a small group, I co-facilitated a Bible study, and I was on a leadership team for the young adult ministry at our church. But somehow I still felt empty spiritually. I finally figured out that all of the time I was spending in the Word was for preparation, not for my own growth.”
There’s a reason why we’re going to talk about the area of spiritual self care first. When you nourish your soul, the other areas will naturally come more easily and fall into place. Spiritual self care is the foundation of a peaceful and right life. Remember our “Jesus, Others-You” acronym? It all falls apart if we’re not putting Him first.
Spiritual self care is a discipline. It takes practice. Here are a couple key components for spiritual growth:
- Read your Bible (this is how God communicates his character and will to us)
- Pray (a two-way conversation during which we thank God and share our needs and desires, and we listen for the Holy Spirit to teach us)
- Be around other believers (necessary for encouraging and learning from each other)
- Share your faith (sharing your own story strengthens your relationship with God)
Is it important that this be a daily practice? Yes. Just like God gave the Israelites just what they needed for each day (read about how He provided manna in the desert in Exodus 16:4-35), He refreshes and provides for us daily. Commit yourself to find a space in your home that you can daily spend time with Him.
Are you looking for practical ideas for improving spiritual self care in your life? I have a whole list of ideas in my ebook. I also provide this ebook as a free resource for new clients.