We live in a disconnected world: disconnected from ourselves, our bodies and minds, disconnected from each other, and disconnected from our source. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ways of this world and forget what truly matters. We stay on top of every latest trend. We focus on what other people think of us, or on what we think we should do based on the approval of the world. But God warns us about this.
We live to please the world instead of living to please God. Our focus is on fame, money, status and appearance, instead of the ways of God: love, kindness, humility and compassion. The priorities of this world ultimately lead to the destruction of self. When we live for the approval of the world, we become depleted.
We can even be doing everything “right.” You wake up early, you go to the gym, you buy organic food, you cook meals at home, you read the self-help books, you even go to yoga. But when this is your priority, something in you still doesn’t feel fulfilled. All of those things are good, but they do not replace God.
In my own wellness journey, I was the girl who did everything right. I went to therapy, read the self-help books, listened to all the best podcasts. I was physically active, into strength training and running, and I’d throw in a hot yoga class every now and then. Physical health always came easy for me, but mentally I always struggled. So I did everything I could to fix it. Every trend, every vitamin and supplement you can think of, I was using. It got to the point where I was actually mentally fatigued from how many books I was trying to read at once just to feel better about myself.
Here’s a little about me. When I was 18, I lost my father to brain cancer. I was 16 when he was diagnosed, and from that point my world changed. I had very big emotions I needed to deal with, but instead, I decided I was strong enough to repress them for the rest of my life (lol). So I pushed them down and went on with life as normally as humanly possible. Then, years later, suddenly, to my surprise, I remember thinking: wow, I really do not feel good.
Physically, I was exhausted. Mentally, I had no clue what I was doing. Emotionally, I couldn’t regulate myself.
I turned to everything and everyone else for my healing. I’ll go to therapy, read a book, and then I’ll be better. I’ll go on a trip for my mental health and run away from my problems. Oh, I know, I’ll do yoga, and it will solve all my problems. Relatable?
A little secret I found out is that none of that works.
Now, it’s not bad to go to yoga or take a trip, but when you’re doing it to avoid actually healing, you only prolong the issues.
I found Jesus during a very low point in my life (a topic for another time), as many people do. I had nothing left in me to give. I could no longer rely on my own strength, but He showed me I could rely on His.
All of my problems did not suddenly disappear when I found Jesus, but my healing journey was finally able to begin. When we rely on human strength over God’s wisdom, it leads to destruction. In our culture, we praise self-care and self-love. But relying on yourself is nearly impossible when the tsunami waves of life hit you.
Jesus is the only one who knows what you need to hear or what you need to do. He is the only one who can pierce through a hardened heart and replace those deep, hidden wounds with His love and grace. When we put our faith in something that will ultimately fail us, our bodies, other people, our job, we become spiritually depleted.
Jesus is the only way to true healing. He supports our bodies, strengthens our minds, and renews our spirits, together. Go to Jesus first, because He is the Healer. You do not have to do this wellness journey alone, and you shouldn’t, because you’ll never find what you’re looking for.
Look to the Healer. Keep your eyes up and fixed on Him. When we try to rely on ourselves, it makes the journey toward health so much harder. And when you start loving yourself the way Jesus loves us, that is when mind, body and soul healing come together. We are not one without the other. So whether you’ve been on your wellness journey for a while or are just starting, there is only one starting point. And that is Jesus. <3
Xoxo,
Elyse :)
