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Dr. Crabb states that if you adopt the vision/goal stated above, “you will give up depending on your own competence. You will give up the pressure of having to make it happen, because you will know that you are out of your league.” How will knowing and believing this change the way you approach SoulCare?
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I will not take responses personally. I will rely on the Holy Spirit to work the changes in a person’s heart, mind, and behavior. I will see myself as a vessel only, not the agent of change.
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First, I am very challenged within myself to move towards an all consuming appetite for God at the expense of all else and then to experience that in the ebbs and flows of everyday life. In total transparency, I am getting a glimpse of perhaps some lack of faith/doubt that part of me believes that this is even possible in a sustained way. I am now asking again, afresh and anew, for this in my own life and for God to help me have this kind of vision for others that God has placed on my path.
This vision / goal Dr. Crabb states will change the way I approach SoulCare in the form of freedom! Freedom to allow the Holy Spirit to do what only He can. Freedom that allows me to not have to try to fix what is the “problem.” Freedom to only be a conduit of the Spirit who will move and do and be! It is a very liberating approach to providing care for individuals in their struggles. -
As I listened to Dr. Crabb, I realized this is something I’ve been longing for in my own life for a long time now. I also realized, I will not be able to help other pursue this goal if I haven’t pursued it myself and have been successful at it. I have been pursuing this goal for awhile now but hadn’t put it in terms of soul care. For me it was trying to reach the p!ace where nothing in my life is more important than my relationship with God. I’ve read the book Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence and have longed for this kind of intimacy with God. I’ve tried to remember that when I’m on my deathbed the only thing that will matter is my relationship with Christ and all the earthly things that I’ve worried about will be meaningless when I’m making the transition from physical death to eternal life. This year, I’m turning 70 and this goal of soul care for myself is becoming more and more important to me. I also run a group called Sister Chix which is a group for women who have lost their husbands through death or divorce. Our goal is to help women look to God for all their needs rather than moving too quickly into a relationship just to avoid lonliness. Understanding Soul Care for myself and for them will be exactly what we all need to move forward. I look forward to finishing this course and applying what I learn to myself and my Sister Chix group.
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As I become more aware of my own inadequacies, it will cause me to lean more on God’s grace and Spirit to give me insight. I am learning that it’s not about what I have to say, but about what God does inside the other person as I listen as they tell their story and become aware of self as they get it out of themselves.
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It’s human nature that we want to help and offer solutions. Also for the other parties, living in a fast pace world, they may want quick fixes too. This is a good reminder for both sides to resist the temptation of “fix and forget”; to move beyond the surface and seek after God’s guidance and will.