Dear conqueror in Christ:
How wonderful to join you once again to encourage you to invest yourself more in self-care. Corsini’s Dictionary of Psychology defines self-care as “Daily activity such as eating, dressing, grooming managed alone for the purpose of personal maintenance.” Self-care, however, extends beyond the physical self to help with the emotional, and mental health. The importance of self-care stands out when we realize that it can take weeks if not months to get a doctor’s appointment. It is therefore important to take small personal steps to help reduce anxiety and improve your overall mood. A good example of self-care is the case of the psalmist who, in a critical moment of his life, confessed “My soul is downcast within me (Psalm 42:5). Let us see how he handled such a crisis.
The psalmist first identified the cause of his state of despondency as a disconnection from God, stating: “My soul thirsts for the living God” (Psalm 42:2). He then talked to himself: “Why are downcast o my soul, why so disturbed within me? (Psalm 42. 5). Pursuing worldly pleasures, success and financial security, we often find ourselves disconnected from God. Remember then that nobody can diagnose better your problem than yourself. Be your own physician. Once you pinpoint the problem, call on the Lord for restoration and health. Notice how the psalmist comforts himself by finding hope. He said to his downcast soul: “Put your hope in God.” Then in a spirit of gratitude, he cried out “I will yet praise him my Savior and my God,” (Psalm 42:5). Ask God for wisdom and courage to rise and likewise care for your well-being.
Excelsior
Bishop Leon