The unexpected Te journey through 2020 took
us to unexpected places. Not only were these places unexpected, but we were unprepared for them – they took us by surprise. Unexpected transitions and loss highlight our need to care for ourselves on a deep- er level. If we neglect the self within, it becomes difficult to respond to the challenges of life and ministry in ways that are effective and help others. Oſtentimes we are not even aware we’ve stopped caring for our soul. Our low-level reserves can take us by surprise, because our False Self speaks up and says “I’ve got this” in response to what is happening on the outside part of life, while losing touch with the inside. Tere is great wisdom when
flight attendants ask parents and caregivers to put on their own oxygen masks before placing one on children or those who need assistance. Sometimes unexpected things happen on flights, and when that happens, there is no time for instruction. If parents and caregivers don’t take care of themselves first, they will find themselves quickly oxygen-depleted and unable to care for others or themselves. Te challenges of 2020 were
difficult because they came suddenly and were unexpected. Tere was a lot to notice and absorb. We were bombarded by outside circumstanc- es, and added struggle came if we neglected our inner life. Many self- care and spiritual practices in life got squeezed out and diminished (many unavailable due to business clos- ings). Our time shiſted and demand- ed more from us in new ways that took time to understand and skills
to learn, leaving less time to care for our self and our soul.
Grief in transition Tis season of the unexpected
has brought with it significant loss. Add to that, the type of loss experi- enced has been largely unfamiliar. We collectively faced the demand to pivot in every aspect of our lives, all at the same time. Te pace of change is typically much slower, but the magnitude of that simultaneous movement has been overwhelming. Recently, I gathered a group
to discuss the idea of self-care as spiritual practice. A recurring story struck me as each participant shared why they felt drawn to be part of this experience. Te majority of the people in the group were in vari- ous stages of transition: new empty nesters, job loss, searching for a new vocation, moving into retirement, recent death of a parent, dealing with teaching high school in a pandemic. Tese individuals were in a transition that impacted a sense of their own identity. Who were they in this moment? Tey felt an invitation to consider self-care because they were struggling with a new sense of identity and weren’t prepared for this shiſt. How could they pivot during a transition without falling down?
Discovering inner balance Many of the people in that group
had no self-care (put-your-own- mask-on-first) practices in place to provide the needed resources from which to draw in order to ease the discomfort of a pivot. Others did
have self-care practices, but quick- ly put them aside as life presented new challenges and demands. Being thrown into a rapid pace of change while not being prepared can create a recipe for burnout, depression, imbalance, and even disease. Sound familiar? Te transitions
caused by events of this past year have caused many to lose a sense of identity. Te invitation before us is to return to the soul, notice what it needs, and nourish it as our true identity – our beloved, made-in-the- image-of-God identity. Nourishing our true identity by connecting with the soul and God will help us discover inner balance.
Intentional self-inquiry Friend, how is your soul today?
Weary? Exhausted? Grieving the loss of community, death of loved ones to COVID-19, and what may feel like an entire year of “what might have been”? Wondering what’s next? How long will we labor on and live in this way? Perhaps you’re feeling relieved about the start of a new year, hope-filled about the prom- ise and impact of new vaccines, or feeling gratitude over what you’ve learned this past year – skills you never imagined you would ever learn or need. Simple, intentional inquiry with-
in is a helpful way to move from the outside world, where all the distrac- tions of everyday life can claim first place in how you live, and move and have your being, to the inside, where the Spirit of God resides and desires to be in intimate connection with you. Tat space, that connection, is at the heart of living from the inside out.
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for God. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-3 (MSG)
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January-February-March 2021 • WorshipArts •
UMFellowship.org
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