SPIRITUAL WELLBEING

ACTS 1:8, 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19.

FAITH AND PRAYER ARE THE VITAMINS OF THE SOUL; MAN CANNOT LIVE IN "HEALTH WITHOUT THEM.

MAHALIA JACKSON

Spiritual wellbeing involves seeking purpose and meaning in your life. To question and to appreciate the things which cannot be explained or understood. Harmony with what is within you and what is on the outside. Having a set of guiding beliefs that help give direction to your life. Activities like prayer, meditating or spending time in nature all help with our spiritual wellbeing.

// 18 SOUL FUEL

Jesus said: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 We can’t give out what we haven’t got, our soul craves rest. We can’t run on empty. Looking after our spiritual wellbeing is so important. Don’t think of it as something that will drain you. Think about it as something you need to keep topped up. When we are busy and pre-occupied, we are unable to be fully present with God. It squeezes God out of our lives. We are reminded we need God. We need to connect to God’s energy and joy, however that is for you; going to be by the sea, up a mountain, near a lake, listening to music or being with friends. In this section we will look at different ways to connect with God.

// 19 BREATH PRAYER

Prayer doesn’t have to be complicated. There are lots of different ways we can pray. Keep it simple. Keep it real. Keep it up. A simple sentence that can be said in one breath and prayed throughout the day.

TRY PRAYING THIS PRAYER EVERY DAY FOR TWO WEEKS AND SEE IF IT HELPS? INHALE: ABBA EXHALE: I BELONG TO YOU

When we are surrounded by fear, overwhelmed by anxiety, or maybe even just bored, this prayer will help our spiritual wellbeing as we consciously and consistently pray it settles us. Abba is an Aramaic word meaning Daddy or Father. In Mark 14: 36 on the night before his death in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed this prayer ‘Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine’. We too can pray ‘Abba, Father’. It reminds us that we have a close relationship to God and can go to him with everything that troubles us.

P.R.A.Y

Pause: sit quietly for a minute, stilling your soul. Rejoice: say thank you. Ask: for help. Tell God what’s on your heart. Yield: pause and surrender to God’s will. Amen

// 20 QUIET TIME

A quiet time can take many forms, but at its simplest means to stop, pause and enjoy God’s presence.

“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6

THERE ARE SOME GREAT APPS AVAILABLE. WHY NOT TRY SOULTIME...

MEDITATION

Get comfy, and take a few deep breaths. Did you know that you can use the bible to meditate? Turn to Psalm 46. Read it through very slowly. Take a moment and read it again. As your eyes wander over the page, do any words or phrases stick out for you? What might God be saying to you through it?