Five Ways to Increase Your Spiritual Well-Being this Autumn

The last few years haven’t just been hard on our physical bodies (hello, months of Netflix and treat-yourself takeaways); they’ve also been rough on our spiritual well-being. If your spirit is feeling a bit withered, don’t worry. In this article, you'll learn how spending time with God in prayer, meditation, and worship, getting out in nature, and fellowship with other Christians leads to spiritual well-being. Spiritual well-being isn't some complicated idea; it's simply how happy, healthy, and comfortable your spirit is. Much like how physical well-being relies on eating well, exercise, and mindfulness, we can also use habits to build spiritual well-being.

Commit to a daily quiet time

If the green smoothie is the epitome of health for physical well-being, then a daily devotional time is the equivalent for spiritual well-being. When we set aside time to read scripture and pray, we get to know God, and it allows time for the Holy Spirit to talk to us. James 4:8 says if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. How do we draw near to someone? We spend time with them, talking, sharing thoughts, learning who they are. You might be asking, how do I have a conversation with God? Reading scripture is how He speaks to us, and prayer is how we speak back. Reading the bible is like reading God’s diary, and it’s an inside look into who He is and how He sees the world. While quiet times are essential to spiritual well-being, they can also be the most challenging discipline. It takes commitment and patience, and sometimes it's hard to know where to start. Luckily, Glorify makes it easy to get started. Each day you’ll be offered a daily quote, bible passage, devotional, and reflection. If you’re having trouble finding the time to fit it in, try either in the morning before you start your day or in the evening before bed.

Take a few minutes to meditate

Try to set aside a few moments to meditate during your quiet time to build your spiritual well-being. Christian meditation is simply taking time to sit, sometimes silently, in the presence of God. Often it involves deep breathing to calm the nervous system. While meditation has been proven to help with stress and anxiety, it doesn’t only help our physical well-being; it can also be a tool for spiritual well-being. Meditation forces us to slow down and step out of our hurried lives. When we meditate, it deepens our ability to pay attention and creates the space to listen to what the Holy Spirit says. Psalm 1:2-3 says, “But those whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.” Our world is a hectic, busy place, but we can slow it down and feed our spirits by making time to meditate. We can become trees planted by streams of water. New to meditation? Grab your mobile and try this one on the Glorify app - A Guide To Meditation.

Worship not worry.

Anxiety, fear and depression all have attached emotions. These feelings can be incredibly powerful and often times very difficult to ‘think’ your way out of. The God-given gift of music has an amazing way of getting straight to our emotional realm. When King Saul in the Bible would fly into fits of rage, David would come and play music for him. It would soothe his emotions and he would return to a sound state of mind. Glorify has a whole library of worship music designed to do exactly this; soothe your soul. Consider it your personal modern-day David’s harp.

Get out in nature

Another activity that satisfies the soul is simply being in and enjoying God's beautiful creation. When was the last time you went for a walk in a park or a hike in the mountains? Simply sitting in the sun for a few moments is enough to satisfy the soul. If you're not convinced by the power of simply being in God's creation, try this exercise. Take a moment to close your eyes and picture somewhere you feel completely relaxed, at peace, and content. People often think of somewhere in nature, usually involving water, which is how God created us to be. We can see this perfectly illustrated in Psalm 23:2-3. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.” While it’s a beautiful picture, it can also be taken literally. There’s a special communion with God when we spend time walking in His creation, sitting in a meadow, listening to the birds sing. It refreshes our spirits, and who doesn’t need that right now. Why not combine a walk in nature with the final tip for spiritual wellbeing.

Spend time with other followers of Christ

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Photo by Nicolas Iobos[/caption] Charles Spurgeon once said, “Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude, but believers are not compared to bears, or lions, or other animals that wander alone; but those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God’s people." If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s how important spending time with those we love is, how precious a hug is, how special a meal shared with those we love is. When we spend time with other followers of Christ, we sharpen our spirits and encourage each other. Have you ever left a meal with loved ones feeling uplifted and complete in your heart? That is how a happy spirit feels. Hebrews 10:24-25 has a lot to say about fellowship. “And let us consider together how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” In these challenging times, going to church, inviting people into your home, sharing a meal out, and including people in your day all contribute massively to spiritual well-being. In conclusion, spiritual well-being is like physical well-being; the more time we take to practice the things which build it, the healthier and happier we will be. This week try to take a few daily minutes to read the bible, pray, meditate and worship, and organize a walk in your local park with one of your Christian friends. At the end of the week, check-in and see how your spiritual well-being is.