When we talk about slowing down, it has to go beyond cutting back on social activities or cutting out technology. It requires slowing our selves down, slowing our thoughts, our responses, tuning into what we actually need and what God is asking of us. And this is much more difficult. It takes discipline and intention and energy that I would rather spend doing easier things.

Many of us learn how to have composure growing up but we don’t learn real calm that helps us weather the tough times. We stuff our emotions and our nervous systems suffer. But we all have circumstances in our lives that challenge our sense of composure. Thankfully there are basic skills we can learn to grow in calm and to receive more of the good things God has for us - inside and out.

This piece is part 1 of the Live Grateful series, in which we look at what scripture actually says about gratitude and joy. The goal is to get a Biblical perspective and form new heart habits to help us weather the future with increased grace, resilience, and authenticity. 

Being led by God happens in a wide variety of ways. It’s not surprising when you consider the complexity of our God and the variety of his creation. He is your quintessential out of the box thinker. But there are practical things we can do to access His voice and His will. 

There is not always a clear path to what we want because we aren’t pointed in the right direction. Sometimes that is because we are seeking significance in places that aren’t meant for us. And when we seek significance outside of God’s will for us, we end up feeling insecure, aimless, and discouraged.

Overthinking or setting my heart on what I need will never be as productive as putting God first.

We can combat overwhelm by actively increasing our awareness of God’s presence and reinforcing to ourselves what He assures us is true. As we practice this alternative, we make space in our body and mind to actually feel peace, and to experience rest.

We all have situations that make us feel afraid. But “toughen up” is the last thing I think any of us should do. Fear is pretty humbling and I think humility is the correct posture to assume. Not that we are to bow to our circumstances but to the God who is actually handling all of our affairs in the background.

Just a gentle reminder to all of us that when Jesus purchased our freedom with his last, ultimate, sacrificial act, he really meant it. It does not come with strings attached. It does not come with performance reviews. You are free.

It’s not lost on me that we are wrapping up our Sound Mind series at the same time I have been challenged in my own mind. But It’s been a reminder that we practice our faith, we practice surrender, we practice gratitude, so that it’s there when we need it. It becomes our second skin, the way we interact with God and others.

Writing, even briefly, is one of the best ways to apply the truth we read and hear. It's one of the ways that revelation comes to us. And being a steady person who weathers the regular storms of life with grace and confidence requires a mind regularly exposed to and examined by God's truth.

The objective is to give yourself an opportunity to stop and absorb what God is doing in your life. If you’re not sure what God is doing or saying, that’s an even better reason to practice reflection regularly. It’s like tuning in to a radio, turning the dial a little this way and that, to hear the still, small voice of God that gets drowned out in our own thoughts.

Each of the 8 primary emotions comprises other emotions we experience. But it’s helpful to figure out the root emotion underneath what we are experiencing.

What do emotions have to do with our spiritual lives and wellbeing anyway? Well, everything. God made us multi-part - body, soul, and spirit. All of these parts are interconnected and make us fully alive. Emotions may often feel like a burden to us, but they are a gift from God that enable us to experience our lives in a complex way. They also help us to connect with God and others at a deep level.

Sometimes we become convinced we can force-feed gratitude into our own brains, and we feel guilt when it doesn’t happen. We ask ourselves questions like, Why am I not happier? I would like to take a different approach with gratitude that I hope will help you to set aside any guilt and to chart a path toward a more natural (not forced) experience with joy.

One of the ways we get rooted in truth and uproot the lies is by meditating on God’s words. Whatever He says about you, you should be saying about yourself.