The constant demands of life have a way of wearing us down. And most days we’re completely tapped out. But we’re not mere victims of our circumstances and must cultivate habits for the soul to recover our inner vitality.
Most days we live in survival mode – doing what we can just to make it through. And some days this is all we can do.
But it starts to take a toll on our souls when this becomes a regular way of life.
Soon frustration comes and we find ourselves blowing up at every little thing. Spilled milk now sends us into a fit of rage as there’s yet another thing we have to deal with.
Our guilty pleasures, vices, and secret sins also become harder to resist. We take whatever we can get when we’re depleted. And junk food seems at least better than nothing.
Eventually, despair may sink in as we lose the hope that things can be better and the motivation to do our part.
Habits for the soul are our intentional practices to open to more of the life God has for us. And this includes the need for both rest and nutrition.
We rest through the practices of silence, stillness, and solitude. These become a type of Sabbath for us as we allow our souls to breathe again and be restored in God’s presence.
We cannot thrive when we’re constantly on the go and bombarded with one heart wrenching story after another.
There comes a time when we must also fill up on deeper truth, goodness, and beauty. Here we discover and meditate on what is true, actively engage in loving kindness, and saturate ourselves with as much wonder and beauty as we can.
These practices feed the deep places of our soul.
Don’t let the demands of life take you out. Cultivate habits for the soul and recover your inner vitality. This gives you a wellspring of life regardless of your circumstances.
Photo by Matthew Lockhart on Unsplash
