We are truly in a weird time in our life right now. Most of us never thought we would be living through a pandemic. The rapid changes in the world has caused me to hold on tight to what I know and what I believe.
Over the past few weeks I have felt out of sorts with everything. The balance that I felt a few weeks ago, all went away. I had to quickly try to recreate it. It's still a work in progress. With having to adjust my work schedule so that I can home school my kids and make sure that we have what we need to avoid leaving the house, it literally has been too much.
Everyone is talking about coping skills and keeping your mind sane which are all wonderful things to do but I had to take it a step further. I had to go above and beyond and tap into my spiritual well being. Once I was able to focus on God, I then was able to take the other natural things that seem to be running in chaos.
Now with the pandemic causing us to close our physical worship locations, it has taken a toll on many, including myself. If you're a Christian like me, I understand that church doesn't mean that it has to take place inside of a building. But boy do I miss worshiping side by side with my brothers and sisters in Christ. I miss being able to reach out and hug and laugh with them. If your church is as creative as mind, we have definitely continued to find a way to have our Sunday services.
It wasn't until this crisis that I realized how much I depended on my Saturday night ritual of getting mentally prepared to go to church the next day. The excitement of going when you've had the worst week ever and literally leaving that behind. Coming out of church on Sunday feeling like you are equipped to handle all the crazy that comes your way. Yep I depended on Sunday.
When Sunday was taken away (not really) and I realized I wouldn't get the physical interaction with my peers, that made me feel sad. That sadness seeped into my daily life and I was struggling spiritually. This in turn made my natural self feel even worse. I had to first get out of the comfort zone of attending church as if I couldn't "attend church" all week long. God reminded me that He's always present and not just on Sunday. Though I've been a serious Christian for quite some time, I indeed needed that reminder.
Never have I ever realized the importance of maintaining my spiritual wellness until now. Probably two weeks ago I literally thought I had been infected with Covid-19 with the pressure on my chest and then I realized it was the anxiety that I was carrying. That weight isn't as heavy anymore by the way! I was carrying emotions (still am) for my family, friends, co-workers, clients and myself. Me using basic coping skills just wasn't cutting it. I had to really seek God and I needed to do that at home. There was no waiting for a Sunday service. I know that me being spiritually well is not only going to help me but those that I’m connected to as well. My prayers aren’t just for me, they are for everyone.
So what exactly is spiritual wellness and how do I maintain it? Spiritual wellness is defined by allowing us to be in tune with our spiritual selves. It allows us to find meaning in life events and define our individual purpose (University of California, Davis). For me, it’s me being in tune with God. I can tell exactly when I’ve stepped too far down the road without him. I’m going to be honest, this pandemic has been way scarier for me than I thought. Perhaps, I understand it beyond what is going on naturally, but I know that I was walking way ahead of God and I was feeling the effects. I didn’t know what to say in prayer, I was feeling emotionally drained, I didn’t want to pick up my Bible. I finally said, enough is enough. Let me get it together. So slowly step by step I started back on the path that God had set for me.
Now that you know what it is. What can you do to maintain it? Everyone's journey is different but here are some things that I constantly do to maintain my spiritual wellness:
Well the first thing that you have to have is a relationship: People can define a relationship with God in the way that they want. For me, it’s knowing who He is and making sure that I understand that He is the head of my life. My relationship with God is knowing that I can talk to Him at any time. It’s much like how you build a relationship with your friends. You spend time getting to know them and you can do the same with getting to know God.
Talk to Him: He actually is always present and listening. To be honest, He probably enjoys it more than you know. When I talk to God, it’s not just in prayer. I write letters to God and crazy enough, those things get answered so quickly. It always blows my mind.
Read your Bible: It wasn’t until I developed a relationship with Him that reading the Bible became clearer. Before when I would open my Bible, I would look at the words and think, “yeah this ain’t it”. But the more that my relationship became stronger, the easier it became to read. Start with a verse and meditate on that. When you're feeling down or need a little encouragement, that verse that you meditate on will be a life saver!
Make Time: All of these things can be achieved by taking time out of your day to focus on Him. If you want spiritual wellness, you have to definitely make the time to do so. Much like creating balance in your life (see previous post).
Don’t forget to surround yourself with like minded people. Though I know that we are unable to physically gather together, it’s always good to connect with someone who is seeking spiritual wellness too. Call or chat with a church member or group member to gain support or work on connecting with God together. Without checking in with members of my church family on a weekly basis, I would be miserable. They always provide encouragement and redirection that I need.
I’m praying for each and everyone of you during this time! If you need support in maintaining spiritual wellness, don’t hesitate to hit me up! We can do this together!
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