Self Care part 1
I mentioned this idea of "self care" a couple of days ago and I want to pick up on it and really dig into it. Because I think its important. And when I Rant--yes, I write to figure things out a lot of the time--but when I Rant I want to put something useful out into the world. Something helpful. So let me quote my memory verse and then we'll get into it. "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Now, let's be clear: The people had a legit complaint. Their sons and daughters had been stolen in a raid by their enemies. And they were looking to David--their leader--for leadership. Now threatening to stone him was probably a bit much, but if anything happened to MY kid... I'm not saying it was right, but I'm saying I can see where the people where at. So David more than likely did to. And, as their leader, it fell on him to make it right. So what do you do when everything is going wrong, and even the people you love and trust are turning on you? You strengthen yourself. And if you do it right, you strengthen yourself in the Lord. You strengthen yourself in love. Now let me say this--sometimes (believe it or not) I have a bad day. Sometimes I get into a bad mood. And its usually enough for me to get some chocolate, some Mt. Dew, and a scary movie to recalibrate. To get it back to good. But then there are big things. Serious things. And that's when you need to get serious. Let me say it like this, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of teh Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). And I know this verse is commonly associated with "eternal salvation" and that old cosmic elevator that I try my best to stay away from. But I submit to you that we need salvation right here and right now. When things go bad. When we don't feel like... ok, one of Logan's favorite songs has the line that says, "When you can't hold on... hold on." And I've always said that when you can't hold on, realize that it is GOD that is holding on to YOU. When we don't feel like we can face whatever it is that we're facing... we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord. We can let HIM be our strength. And we know that HIS strength is made perfect in weakness. When we can't, that's when He will. I heard a preacher say it like this, "When you work God will rest. And when you rest Gos will work." Because God waits for an opportunity. He doesn't force His will on us. He will never leave us nor forsake us, but if we think we CAN do it ourselves (to a certain degree) He will let us. But if we call on Him, He answers. Every single time. And maybe not exactly in the way we think He should. Sometimes "no" answer IS the answer. But when we can't hold on... we can let go and let God. We can stop fighting against things and we can let what's inside come out. We can strengthen ourselves (and this is where I'm going with this Rant series) in the inner man. We can love even when it feels like the more we love, the less we are loved. We can keep going (upward and Godward) even when it feels like we've hit a brick wall, or a dead end. We can take care of ourselves, and take care of each other!