Encourage Yourself

Times like these come to challenge us in so many unexpected ways because we are not operating in our normal fashion of busyness. It is forcing some of us to be still and anytime there is a practice of rest, stillness, or meditation we are to observe our thinking, breathing and how we feel at that moment. Being self-contained will bring out all kinds of emotions and eye-opening awareness that our busyness masked. Who knew busyness was an addiction until we are forced to self-contain within our own environment?

Over the past few days, I faced some anxieties and fears of not having an outlet that keeps me from facing what needs the most attention. So often we can depend on the outward entities of our daily habits to feed our emotions, egos, appreciation, etc. and what should be considered the safest place in our world, should be our home. Many are suffering with this because home does not often validate who we are and what we do. Home is not our identity norm, instead we use things like work, college, friends, spending money, being the boss, our talent, being able to do religious work, teaching etc.

1 Timothy 5:8 New Century Version (NCV)  Whoever does not care for his own relatives, especially his own family members, has turned against the faith and is worse than someone who does not believe in God.

This is where the saying "charity begins at home and then spread abroad" comes from. Although, we do care for our family daily, some feel that the best way to care for the family is by working because the culture promotes that often. However, the best and most effective way that we can care for our family, our spouse, and our children, is by spending time with them in the home. Not a vacation as that is how we equate spending time by taking a vacation which is also filled with busyness, but the most quality time is when we are home and we focus in on how we interact, our communication, our distance, our helping to serve each other, our creativity, the way our children learn, our tolerance level, how we love and how we rest. Most of all, our relationship with God outside of church gathering or duties.

Some discoveries may be mind blowing, some may make you appreciate each other more and some may be disappointing. However, God is in the midst and everything that He reveals during this time, use it to make you better. Encourage yourself when others are not calling, no work is being done, you are doing all the cooking, no affection is being had, no accolades are coming your way, and you can't be the boss etc. Take captive of thoughts that are negative and say what God says Only. This too shall pass, but instead of waiting on it to pass, embrace what God is allowing, learn and grow from this experience. Be encouraged!

1 Samuel 30:6 King James Version (KJV)  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.

Philippians 4:8 English Standard Version (ESV)  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Copyright© 2018 Unfinished Bride LLC. All rights reserved.