How to Be Well
What if you are always fine despite the worries and the unknown outcomes ahead, even when you feel the complete opposite of that?
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 1:2).
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Go to a quiet place where you can be undisturbed. Play soft, instrumental music if that helps to drown out external noise. Get comfortable, emptying your hands and placing your feet flat on the floor.
Settle in.
Place your palms open on your lap and find a place in the room to gaze gently. Roll your shoulders up and back. Stretch your neck and wrists, and then take a deep breath, in…out…
Close your eyes and continue breathing deeply for a few moments, inhaling and holding your breath for a count of four, then slowly exhaling for a count of four.
Inhale….
Exhale….
Turn your attention to Jesus now, inviting him into this space and surrendering everything you are carrying to him.
Jesus, I love you. I need you. I surrender my heart to you…and every worry and concern…(Name each burden and give each one to him. See him taking each one.)
Take another set of deep, cleansing breaths. Then, let’s transition to a deeper place with God, trusting his leadership.
Jesus, lead me deeper into your heart now.
So, to begin, let’s do an exercise with Holy Spirit that will involve us making two lists: (1) Ways that you are not fine and (2) Ways that you are fine.
But you aren’t going to make these lists on your own. Remember that Holy Spirit’s presence is with you now. Remember that he, in his great love for you, will help you listen to and understand the deep, hidden places in your heart. He will help you see any ways you’ve been hiding. He will help you with your emotions and guide you through any confusion. He will help you discern what is true and what is false.
Ways that I am not fine.
Ways that I am fine.
When you finish creating your lists, study them and tell the Holy Spirit — or Jesus, or Father God — what you feel.
Lord, when I look at the contents of these lists, I feel…
And I hear you say…
While creating those lists may not have been easy — the lists we make on our own, without God, are going to be very different from the lists we create with him — the exercise could help give us a new, fresh perspective as we compare God’s point of view with our own.
When you are ready to transition from your interaction with God around your lists, contemplate verses ten through twelve of Psalm 51.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Psalm 51: 10-12).
Linger over the words, noticing how your heart responds.
After that, you might want to reflect on the verbs inside the Psalm: create, renew, cast, take, restore, grant and sustain.
Talk to God about those verbs. Visualize them. How do these actions make you feel?
Then, look at the objects of the verbs, which are written below and either (1) sketch your conversation by drawing images that correspond to each verb and object pair, or (2) write out your questions to God and his responses.
Create: “a pure heart”
What does it mean, Lord, for me to have a pure heart?
Renew: “a steadfast spirit”
Show me, Lord, how you want to renew in me a steadfast spirit. Please show me a picture of what this looks like. Please help me understand what you mean. (Stay here, waiting, expecting him to show you.)
Do not cast: “me" (from your presence)
Jesus, let my heart feel your presence now. Show me an image of the two of us together.
Do not take: “your Holy Spirit” (from me)
Keep me in union with you. Lord. Let us stay connected. Tell me more about our union.
Restore: “the joy of your salvation”
What does it mean, Lord, for you to restore “the joy of your salvation” in me? Please show me.
Grant: “a willing spirit.”
I am willing, Lord. Make me more willing. Give me a heart of surrender. Help me to trust you. Show me what it looks like to have a willing spirit.
In conclusion, tell God what today’s encounter with him means to you. Share with him the cry of your heart — whether it be this Psalm or something else you want to say. Trust it.
Amen.