Intentional Soul Care: How Does My Soul Find Rest?

When we get busy, it’s easy to neglect the care of our own soul. And when this happens, everything in our lives—our relationships, our perspective, our attitude, our work—is affected. On this week’s Unhurried Living podcast (episode 95), we talk about the Unhurried Living dynamic of Intentional Soul Care. Intentional is key. Leaders too easily assume the well-being of their own souls and, in our experience, it is a fatal assumption. Soul care requires intention.

We want to give you a renewed vision of what soul care means for your life right here and right now. Intentional soul care is not an emergency measure. It is an intentional and ongoing life with and in God. We are refilling and re-energizing the part of us that animates the whole.

Soul care is an ongoing invitation. It’s more like an engine than a spare tire. An engine needs to be maintained to keep in good running order—regular oil changes, tune-ups, checking the fluids and more. It’s more like a daily meal than emergency rations. We make it a priority to eat several times throughout the day to keep our strength up. Just like drinking enough water, it’s best not to let yourself get to the point of feeling the effects of dehydration.

Ask yourself:

• How long can you go without food?
• How long can you go without water?
• How long can you go without air?
• How long can you go without being mindful of God’s presence?

As rhetorical as these questions are, it’s good to check in to be sure we are not living on emergency rations in any area of our lives.

Every week, we close our podcast with six key words: rest deeper, live fuller, lead better. They aren’t just a catchy slogan for us. We continually lean into these words as our core values. Gem and I both are often asking ourselves whether we are working from rest and fullness. When we are, the quality of our work shows it. When we begin to work from restlessness and emptiness, this also shows.

So, the dynamic of Intentional Soul Care is actually the interplay between rest deeper and live fuller. Within each of these values lies a relational reality. At our best we are awake to the relational nature of every encounter. Not just us and God, but others as well. And not just us and others, but God as well.

 If you aren’t already subscribed to the Unhurried Living Podcast, now would be a great time to go do that. You can also listen to this week’s episode #95 on the Unhurried Living website.

 Questions for Reflection

• What is “resting deeper” looking like for you these days? In what ways are you experiencing this reality? In what ways are you struggling to enter into the gift of God’s rest in the midst of your busy life?
• Would you describe your life more like “live fuller” or more like “living on empty”? How might the presence of Jesus with you right now enable you to enter into the fullness He has for you here and now?