Monday, January 30, 2017

Daily Encouragement: Counselor’s Corner by Stephanie R. Reck, LMSW, LBT, BCCC : Recharge Your Batteries


Unplug from the world and plug into Christ.


Some people live hectic and busy lives with no times for recharging. Our bodies can be compared to our electronic devices that need to get charged every day so that they won’t run-low and eventually die. Our bodies cannot function on go, go, go all the time. We must have times that we are able to recharge. Not having regular times of recharging can lead to stress-related issues such as high blood pressure, headaches, and insomnia.

God never intended for us to hustle and bustle continually.

Serving God is a good thing, but if you are at every function at church, and are at church “serving” every time the church doors open-you will burn out! What you do must be led by the Holy Spirit, not what everyone expects of you or what everyone else is performing. Following what everyone else is doing, often can get you into trouble. If you are “burning the candle” at both ends, some area in your life will suffer- your relationships, your health, and even your mental health.

Reflect and ponder: Are you too busy to take times to recharge? Not sure? Are you frequently tired, easily frustrated/annoyed, have a short-fuse, critical, feel tense/stress, have frequent headaches, or just can’t seem to unwind? If you answered yes to just (3) of the above, chances are you are needing to recharge more often.

Do you work a full-time job and serve full-time at church? If you answered yes, your life is out of balance and some area in your life is not thriving. Ministry, occupational or even relationship burn-out will eventually happen if you continue at the pace that you set for yourself. I realize I may be “stepping on some toes” by saying you can’t serve full-time at church, your home and on your job effectively and that some area of your will suffer. How can you recharge if you are either at work or at church? How can you be the best husband, wife, father, or mother if you are not recharged and “snapping” at everyone because you are tired, resentful, and frustrated? How can you hear God and spend intimate time with the Father if you’re too busy? If you are not recharging with the Father, you will not be able to be your best.

Counselor’s Corner:

Effective ways to “Recharge Your Batteries:”

1.      Learn to say, “No.” You can’t be everywhere and be everything to everyone. Take time to say, “Yes,” to yourself. It’s okay to take care of yourself!

2.      Don’t overcommit yourself. Learn to balance your life. If you are working full-time, coach baseball, serve at church, attend a bible study group, are married and have children-your plate is already full! Where is your time to recharge? Oh, you are one of those who don’t need it, now anyways you may not, but your body cannot sustain at that pace for an extended period of time.

3.      Find daily time to carve out for connecting with God. You might say,” Well, I attend my bible study group or I attend church, that’s all I need.” True, these things can help, but alone time with the Father can bring stillness in your spirit and that brings refreshment to you.

4.      Have at least 30 minutes every day where you do something YOU ENJOY that can be a walk in your neighborhood, watching something funny on TV, reading a book, or taking a warm bubble bath.

5.      Unplug from your social media and phone at least 30 minutes before bed, an hour is preferable. Have times in the day or after work where you leave your phone in another room so that you are not obsessively checking who called, texted, retweeted your tweet, reposted your Facebook post, or pinned something on your Pinterest. How can you recharge with all the tweeting, texting, reposting, pinning, and checking emails?

6.      Take time off as needed, whether it is a small vacation, stay cation, half day, or an entire day to recharge and do things that you enjoy. Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you too busy to take some time off, your too busy!

MEDITATE ON THESE SCRIPTURES:

And on the seventh day God finished His work that He done, and He rested on the seventh day from all of His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because God rested from all His work that he had done. Genesis 2:2-3

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11





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