Thirst with Sheryl: season 2- Holistic Change

The 4 P's

Pause. When you feel like you are overwhelmed, anxious or upset and someone asks you something, step back and take a moment to reflect. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still, and know that God is God." Pausing creates space for calm and allows us to refocus on God’s presence instead of reacting impulsively. So instead of that, Pause & take a moment to breathe deeply and ground yourself. This will allow you to resist the urge to respond emotionally and gives you time to compose yourself. We don’t want to say anything that we may regret. Psalm 141:3: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Pray. Now what if someone says something to you and you are insulted or offended?Before reacting, pause of course, but say a small prayer. Maybe, “Help me Holy Spirit!” You see, in moments of emotional intensity, prayer will help connect us to God’s peace and guidance. But we have to act with intentionality! Don’t just think about praying, be intentional about praying. Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:6 not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, pray and make your requests known to
Process. Now really think about why you were insulted or offended. Is it touching on a past wound or insecurity? Also, consider whether the person’s words say more about them, than about you! Remember, you just prayed, and by inviting God into this, you gain clarity and discernment to handle your emotions with wisdom. This means you will have some self-control. Proverbs 16:32 reminds us: "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."
Proceed. Now we’re ready to respond or make our move; but do so with poise; whether it’s addressing the situation, setting boundaries, or choosing to let go. It is a must that you act in a calm & honest manner. If it is not worth addressing, walk away, but make sure you are letting it go period. Do not bring it back up again later on. Now if you want to respond, maybe you can respond, “Let’s keep this conversation respectful.”  The key is to stay grounded, avoid reacting impulsively, and focus on maintaining your peace and values. Managing the situation with grace often leaves a greater impression than reacting with a salty attitude.

Emotional Resilience

 There are several practices that can assist with building your emotional resilience; however, we will just review 4:  
Now faith was one of the necessities that was mentioned earlier in the season that was needed for all of these podcast sessions.  Heb 11:1 LIV bible version Faith is the confident assurance that something we want, is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. Read with my emphasis!  Practice prayer, reading scripture and meditating on the word to help with supporting and building your emotional resilience. Faith provides a foundation of hope and trust, allowing you to see challenges as part of a greater plan.
Unforgiveness or holding onto anger or resentment can block not only prayer but also, healing. On the other hand, Forgiveness creates a space for peace and renewal towards building emotional resilience.                                                                                    
Change your mindset! Embrace the belief that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. Instead of focusing on what the heck went wrong, ask yourself, “ok, what can I learn from this experience?”
Build a support network. Surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage you—whether that’s family, friends, or a faith-based group. Be very careful to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to your network. Everyone you think is for you, is not!

The Importance of Stewarding our Emotions

Emotions were given to us by God as a gift, and we should do our best to manage our gift; In last week’s podcast, we discussed that not only are emotions the voice of the soul, but emotions also reveal what is in our soul (i.e. the heart.) Additionally, our emotions can lead us to sin; thus, the importance of managing them. Today this podcast episode will discuss the importance of stewarding over our emotions.

The Soul Part 3 Emotions

Emotions…when you ask someone what are emotions, most people answer this question with, “they are feelings.”  But emotions are more than that. As the third part of the soul, emotions are the voice of the soul. We mentioned in last weeks episode that the will is the part of the soul that does the “choosing;” so after the choice is made, our emotions, whether happy or sad, etc. are the voice of the soul. Emotions tell what we value, believe, or desire; and they also affect our behavior.  Emotions can also show what is in our hearts…fear, joy, anger, bitterness, jealousy, love, trust, etc. 

The Soul Part 2

Back to the 3 perspectives or views of the will. Let us begin with the most crucial view: God’s Will. God has a divine plan and purpose for us and submitting to God’s will involves seeking His guidance through prayer, Scripture, and the Holy Spirit.  In a nutshell, God’s Word is His Will for His believers/followers.  There are many scriptures that point us to God’s Will in His Word, but I will just select 2:
Joshua 1:8 tells how we should meditate/ponder on the Word of God often, do what is said in the Word and then it will make our way prosperous or successful.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord and not lean to our own understanding. It further tells us to acknowledge Him in all our ways, then God will make our paths straight or guide us in the right direction.
The next perspective is the Human Will. Although it is a gift from God, the human will, can be influenced by sin and our selfish desires. Our God is such a gentleman that He does not force His way into anyone’s life on doing things that they really do not want to do.  Look at this example:  a person walking down the street is hitch hiking and wants someone to pick them up to go a couple miles. Now this will not happen unless drivers see the thumb up in the air. In the like manner, God is waiting for people to ask for his help or guidance before intervening in their lives. Mat 7:7 NIV says Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. To take it step further, James 4:2 says that you have not because you ask not.
 Which brings us to our final view or perspective of the Free Will which is the unrestricted choice whether to accept or reject God’s love and direction. This highlights personal responsibility in moral and spiritual decisions. Some Christians take this for granted and use the excuse of Grace.  However, those that decide to use their free will to make decisions, shouldn’t forget Galatians 6: 7-9 NIV says Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Soul part 1 The Mind

Now the soul consists of the mind, will and emotions. Today in Pt. 1, we will discuss the mind. The mind is pretty much the control center for our actions. Thoughts enter the mind and then we act on the thought by saying or doing.
Essentially, the mind is considered a battleground where faith, temptation, and transformation occur. Joyce Meyer has a great book called “Battlefield of the Mind.” This book instructs believers on how to win the Battle in your mind by lining up our thought with God’s thoughts.
Our mind has to be retrained, sanctified or renewed. And only the Holy Spirit can do this, but we have to do our part as well. We work in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:2 implies that the mind can be sanctified and aligned with God’s will through spiritual transformation. How? By actively seeking God’s truth and allowing His Word to shape your thoughts and perspectives.  This means, yep you got it, getting into the word. Romans 12:2 CEV Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.  

Life Scripture

So today, I want you to pick your Life Scripture. What’s a Life Scripture?  A Life scripture is one that will define your mission and/or inspire your journey. To find your life scripture, follow these steps:
Begin with praying & asking God to lead you to a verse that will speak to your heart and guide your path 119:105 NIV say Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Reflect on your journey thus far or consider any challenges and triumphs in your life. Are there any areas where you need to seek God’s wisdom, comfort or encouragement? Ask God and He will show you. Matt 7:7-8 NIV says Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Look for Resonance. Notice the scriptures that resonate with your heart and spirit. A life scripture will often give you a sense of peace, clarity, and alignment with God's purpose for your life. Don’t be anxious if you cannot find it right away, just continue to pray and trust God. Phil 4:6 CEV says Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 
Think about themes, like faith, love, hope or any concerns you want to address like fear, anger, insecurity that slows you down in moving forward. Isa 41:13 CEV is my life scripture which says I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid. I am here to help you. About a year ago, whenever I would set out to do something new that God had instructed me to do, I would experience fear which would slow me down; thus, the reason for this scripture.
Now once you’ve found your life scripture or scriptures, embrace it fully. Memorize it, write it down, and keep it in a place where you can see it daily, print them out to place in a frame and put up in your office or bedroom. Let it be a constant reminder and source of inspiration😊

Fasting

Today I want to add to our essentials in building our Spirit man, the action of Fasting. Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food (or other things, like TV, Internet, talking on the phone, social media, etc.)  We want to Fast from any distraction that takes our attention away from God. Fasting is done for a specified period, to focus on spiritual growth, self-reflection and seeking God's presence.
Now for our action steps:
Be Intentional (that is one of our necessities for this podcast)-Be clear on your purpose and specific prayer points for the fast.
Pray and seek God's guidance on the type and duration of the fast. Plan meals around fasting times, or have plenty of water available; also consider alkaline water and/or mineral drops to add to the water.
During the fast, dedicate more time to prayer, worship, reading the Bible and journaling.
Minimize distractions (another one of our necessities for this podcast)
Keep it to yourself! You do not have to go around broadcasting it. Matthew 6:16-18 NIVsays 16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Don’t forget, the whole purpose for fasting is to focus on spiritual growth, self-reflection and seeking God's presence. It is not necessary to let everyone know.
When you come off of the fast, gradually re-introduce your body to light foods, like a bowl of chicken noodle or vegetable soup.
Reflect on what the Holy Spirit showed you during your fasting time; did he lead you to a scripture to read, did you journal a specific bible verse, was a certain praise & worship song in your mind?
Offer prayers of thanksgiving for the spiritual growth and insights gained.

Nitty Gritty Part 2

Last week’s discussion focused on Deepening your connection with God; if you have not listened, please circle back and tune in.  Today, our discussion will focus on Engaging in practices that will strengthen your faith
There are many ways to engage yourself in fellowship and community, but today I want to discuss just three:
Join a Faith Community. This is something that most of us are already doing, I hope; and that is being involved in church or participate regularly in worship services and church events. This includes going to regular service, worship services, church revivals, bible studies and small prayer groups.
Cultivate accountable relationships. Accountability in the Bible symbolizes responsibility, stewardship, and the interconnectedness of the community of believers. The Bible emphasizes that individuals are not only accountable to God but also to one another. Romans 14:1 CEV And so each of us must give an account to God for what we do. This verse underscores the idea that we are responsible & accountable for our actions before God.   Galatians 6:1-2 CEV My friends, you are spiritual. So, if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don't be tempted yourself. 2 You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.  This passage highlights the communal aspect of accountability, where believers are called to support and help one another in their spiritual walk. 
So, find a more mature believer who can be your spiritual mentor; or a person to share experiences, challenges and victories with, i.e. a peer support.
Serve others by using your gifts to volunteer within your church or community. Look for opportunities to bless others showing the Love of God in you, by performing acts of kindness.

The Nitty Gritty Part 1

Now for the nitty gritty, or the most important aspects of building up your spiritual man.
Now Building your spirit man goes beyond establishing healthy mindsets & thoughts. In light of this, to include your entire spiritual being, there are 2 mandatory things that are essential:
Deepening your connection with God
Engaging in practices that will strengthen your faith.
Daily scripture reading. You can begin with a verse or a chapter daily. It doesn’t matter, just as long as you are consistent with daily action.  As you continue, and begin to develop longevity, the Holy Spirit will give you the yearning or Thirst to do a little more! May I suggest to focus on short manageable sections to prevent getting overwhelmed. I love the book of Proverbs, because it teaches on Wisdom about everything.  The Contemperary English version (CEV) is one of my favorite versions. Pick yours!
Reflection and Journaling: Now prayerfully, you have been obedient with having your necessities in proximity, as instructed in episode 1. You are, not only in your clutter free area without distractions, but also, you have your bible (tangible or electrical) and your journal/notebook with your pen/pencil and highlighter. Write down insights, questions, and how the scriptures apply to your life.
Study to get understanding. Think about joining a group to study the word or use study guides to delve deeper into the specific books of the bible. By studying, consistently, the holy spirit will bring clarity to you. While studying, write down key verses and commit to memory, especially those that address what you are searching for or what you are going through.
Ps 119:105 NIV says Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. We know that a lamp gives off light, therefore this scripture is saying that the Word gives me light for which way to go or do.
Apply the biblical principles that you’ve learned and be a doer of the word and not a hearer only as the scripture says in James 1:22.
Share what you’ve learned with others to foster mutual growth. Prov 27:17 CEV says Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.
As we conclude this session, I encourage you to continually cultivate a strong prayer life and immerse yourself in God's Word. These practices are foundational to building and transforming your spirit man.