Restoring your soul

      A friend of mine lately came out of an extremely stressful time. Over coffee, she told me how drained she was, and how she felt empty and useless. 

   Yes, she understands about the normal physical let-down after you've poured out so much adrenaline for a long time, but this felt like something more global. 

   She had multiple things pulling her down, including exhaustion.  But she clearly needed restoration of her soul and spirit by our Lord, poor girl.  

    I shared a tool I learned in graduate school, called the YES/NO game.  It can transform your perspective on your current TO DO list.  

Here it is:  If you can do this with another person, it's much better.  If not, read it to a mirror, or read it aloud.

1. Person 1: Take your entire list of Shoulds. I should lose 10 pounds. Stop and take a breath. Wait for Person 2.
2. Person 2: After each Should, say a very firm: NO.  
1. I should read the Bible more.   NO
2. I should finish that report faster.  NO
3. I should call my mother.  NO
3. Continue through all the Shoulds you can come up with.
4. After all the Shoulds are finished (and REALLY try to come up with a lot of them),
5. Now, Person 1 takes a few deep breaths, then starts fresh with, "What I'd really like to do is..." and Person 2 says, YES.
6. Then repeat the whole thing for Person 2.

    This exercise can really free you up to praise God or read your Bible because you really want to, not because you should.  The shift in your perspective is huge!   You can be free, as God wants us to come to him.

    Now, decide what you do in terms of: does any particular activity restore my soul? Yes?  Great!  Do it with joy.  No?  You are free to say no when someone asks.  

    If you are barely eking out your way right now, remember your God is going ahead, preparing that way. He is also in the business of restoring your soul, if you let him.  So, dear one, allow him to do that for you.

He leads me by the still waters, he restores my soul.  Psalm 23