Do You Need Soul Refreshing?

Do You Need Soul Refreshing?

“What does a man have if he gets all the world and loses his own soul? What can a man give to buy back his soul?” Matthew 16:26 I don’t think this is just about salvation. The word is alive and active. When you open it up it speaks to where you are right now. So here, I feel like he is talking about our state of being. We are typically SO busy as women, we don’t nurture this part of ourselves. Do you need soul refreshing?

 

I feel like our soul is that part of us that comes alive when we get a glimpse of the divine, when we are in awe of beauty, when we see something magnificent that takes our breath away. I think most of us search for this on social media – things that bring awe, beauty or laughter (but that is nothing like the real thing). We feel our soul when something lights us up, when we are doing something that restores us, refreshes us, when we genuinely laugh out loud, or when something touches us so deeply that tears well up in our eyes and we get that lump in our throat. Our soul is what reminds us that God is bigger and better than we imagine. It is that tiny glimpse into his greatness.

 

Our soul isn’t the same as emotions or our spirit. It is almost deeper. It is like the glue that connects and ties our emotions to our spirit and to our body.

 

I went on a mission trip to Liberia, Africa for three months when I was 16. I remember my breath being taken away when I looked up at the stars. I was literally overwhelmed at the shear number. It was away from city lights, on the coast near the jungle edge at the equator in the middle of summer. I cannot describe to you the amazement I felt, or the grandeur of God in that moment, or how I could feel my soul light up! I felt so small yet in awe of God’s love for me in that moment. It must have been how David felt in Psalm 8:3-4 where he writes, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” David often wrote of God’s handiworks and how it affected his soul.

 

You can lose your soul in the mad rush of life, the unrelenting pressures – external or internal, the hurry, the fear, the expectations. We need space to be human and to feel our souls.

 

• What lights you up?
• What makes you come alive?
• What takes your breath away? I know you’ve felt that.
• Where were you?
• What was going on in your life in that moment?
• What were you doing?
• How can you feel that again?
• What can you do to awaken your soul again?

 

 

Soul refreshing is not a vacation where you go, go, go every day. It is exciting but can leave you needing a vacation when you get home.

 

Soul refreshing is not necessarily a family visit. Those are necessary and important. But, they are not a Sabbath rest or a vacation. The dynamics can suck the life and energy out of us because they can be complicated sometimes.

 

Soul refreshing doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation to Hawaii or Tuscany.

 

With a soul refreshing you should feel reinvigorated. It should reconnect you to your dreams, goals, reason for living, make you feel at peace, should be restful, and fill you with renewed hope for the future.

 

It could look like:

• Sitting on your porch taking in the sights and sounds of summer.
• A leisurely walk in the neighborhood park.
• Watching the sunset.
• Star gazing.
• A good laugh with friends where you are not rushed.

 

I feel my soul most when I have created enough cushion to hear God speak to my heart. I feel my soul when I am in nature, usually by water – a lake, a stream, the ocean. I feel it when I am doing something that makes me feel alive like (downhill) mountain biking, skiing, canoeing, camping, hiking, walking on the beach, snorkeling, just being in nature, taking a walk, listening to the birds sing, star-gazing, in a tender moment. Whatever nourishes your soul is unique to you and is a very personal thing. Do that thing that takes your breath away.

 

As a health coach, I often talk about eating healthy, exercise, sleep, and stress management. I think that is important for our bodies. But, part of being healthy is also taking care of the other parts of you – your mind, spirit, and soul. You are a multi-dimensional being – not just a body. Soul nourishing is a form of self-care that is far too often neglected. But, it truly affects us physically. A positive, soul-refreshing experience can trickle down into a healthy body response. It releases stress and creates positive neurological and chemical pathways that support health. It can be just as important to your health as eating right.

 

We need times of soul refreshing. I hope you take moments this summer to be kind to your soul. We are made in God’s image. Even God himself paused, rested, and took in all that he had made. Maybe you need a rest this summer to feel your soul come alive again.

 

What will you do to refresh your soul?

 

How can I encourage you?

If you need a health mentor to help you find ways to make your heart come alive again, help you find ways to nourish your whole being, or need refreshing, check out my programs page or schedule a free 30-min call with me.