Spiritual Stamina
We did it! We made it to pt.3 which is by far the most important part of national wellness month. I wanted to wrap up this series with something that I believe sets apart those who have joy, and those who don’t. I’m talking about spirituality. How spiritually strong are you? Do you have spiritual stamina? This might wreck you a little bit, and that is 100% my intention. If we don’t do the spiritual work and strengthen our faith in the unknown, how can we manage what we do know in addition to what is right in front of us?
SPIRIT
If you knew my grandma, you know she was the most joyous person in the world. She had every reason to be stressed, depressed and worried, yet she was the light in everyone’s life she came across. She had a daily devotional she would read everyday. She had several books throughout her house with poetry. And she had her favorite songs that kept her going. My grandma was the strongest woman spiritually I’ve ever known. When people ask me about her, they ask me what she was like. My answer every single time, joyful. I tell you this about my grandma so that you can evaluate your spiritual meter. How do you know if you’re spiritually healthy? Check your joy. If you’re not joyful, you’re spiritually sick. We don’t have time to be spiritually sick. To be well means to be strong in body, mind and SPIRIT. If you’re feeling fragile in your spirituality, let’s tap into some things to bring back the joy.
We’re dealing with a global pandemic right now, but I’d say we’re dealing with another pandemic. I read The Purpose Driven Life earlier this year and Rick Warren says that spiritual emptiness is a world wide disease. We’re living in a world where people are looking to humans and other earthly things to fill a void only God can fill. We’re looking to politicians to solve our problems, and not fully taking responsibility for our actions, toxic patterns and low emotional intelligence. We’re blaming and pointing the finger rather than cultivating a strong relationship with our creator. We wonder why we can’t handle current events with the same protective armour people like my grandma had. It’s because we are spiritually fragile. It’s time to get strong friends.
Questions to Ask Yourself to Avoid Spiritual Fragility
What are you doing with what you’ve been given? Have you defined your purpose and are you living according to that? We each have spiritual gifts, talents and knowledge that is meaningless if we do nothing with it. The work I do, the relationships I build, the lifestyle I live is all to honor the one who put those desires in my heart. This was not always easy for me. I honestly have just recently really started to dive into my purpose and navigate from that space versus going through the motions and living out the mundane. This takes diligence, effort, and research on yourself. Where to start: read The Purpose Driven Life. Figure out why you’re here on this earth.
How has God answered your prayers? I did a poll on social media the other day asking how God has shown up in your life recently. I think a lot of times we forget what we’ve asked for or we don’t get our prayers answered because they didn’t show up how we envisioned them or WHEN we envisioned them. I asked God a couple months ago to bring more opportunities into my life that are in alignment with the blog and entrepreneurship. A week later, I met with a long time mentor of mine who had also been praying that I would join his non profit as an ambassador. I also started getting more bold with my prayers and asked God to bring more driven women into my life of all ethnicities. It was THE NEXT DAY, a fellow blogger I follow was launching a mastermind for women looking to expand their blogs and their brands. I joined immediately and just cried after our first meeting after learning I wasn’t the only one looking for that type of fellowship. The next time you’re eager to doubt how God has shown up in your life, write down the ways He has shown up.
Are you comparing? In a world full of social media where we are constantly seeing others highlights and success, it can be extremely easy to become fatigued and forget about our own journey. When we compare, we rob ourselves of joy. A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body. Jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30. When we know our purpose, and when we continuously grow in our relationship with God, our path is more defined. We’re able to walk in our truth, our journey. Comparing ourselves to others will only leave us stagnant and feeling like we have a void to fill. We all want what we don’t have….until we learn that the reason we have those things is because we were meant to.
Are you being judgemental? What I’ve learned when we judge other people is that we are trying to control them, or the narrative around them. Judging other people comes from a lack of understanding and a lack of willing to understand. I know because I do it too. Judgment is not only showing our lack of compassion, but it’s also putting ourselves above others and forgetting we’re all human. We all come from different backgrounds, and have different upbringings. For the most part, we act out of our own beliefs and thought processes rather than how things really are. Spiritual strength means understanding we are in fact not in control. We don’t have the right to judge other people and it’s the antithesis of humility. Humility is the key to growth, and spiritual strength.
Are you contributing? One of the most defining moments for me was when I went to South Africa on a mission trip. I visited townships where people had absolutely nothing. Yet they had joy. I cooked with some of the most joyous women with few cooking utensils and appliances I would consider necessities here in the united states. I learned so many lessons on that trip, but what has stayed with me is the joy I felt as a result of being surrounded by such spirit filled humans, all because I gave my time and my hands. A mission trip may not be for you. Maybe your contributions look like going to homeless shelters or donating blood. Maybe you enjoy mentoring young teens. Perhaps giving something of monetary value is how you fulfill your contribution. Whatever the case may be, understand that growth and contribution are the two factors that keep us going and make us feel alive. It’s by far one of the healthiest things we can do to check our privilege and our spiritual stamina. A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health. Proverbs 15:30.
We don’t know what the world will bring. If 2020 has shown us anything, it’s shown us that life happens to ALL of us. It’s how we respond that will determine our wellbeing. I’ve noticed people with joy in their hearts aren’t rocked by earthly instability. They simply surrender and let their wisdom navigate the rocky waters. They really do let go and let God. As August comes to an end, I pray you’ve taken the time to not only become strong in body and mind but also in spirit.