Gregory L. Jantz Ph.D. - Soul Care: Prayers, Scriptures, and Spiritual Practices for When You Need Hope the Most

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Soul Care:Prayers, Scriptures, and Spiritual Practices for When You Need Hope the Most

Copyright 2019 by Dr. Gregory Jantz. All rights reserved.

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I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

ROMANS 15:13

Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19), because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a wish... rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made.

R. C. SPROUL

Feeling a little anxious? Worried? Depressed? Youre not alone. In the thirty-plus years that Ive been treating depression, I cant remember a time when free-floating anxiety and depression have been more prevalent. And its no wonder. Look around. It seems everywhere we turn these days, we find uncertaintyeconomic uncertainty, political uncertainty. Even churches and other faith communities arent immune. Every day, our smartphones keep us tethered to a relentless barrage of news and information coming at us faster than we can possibly absorb it. Divisiveness has taken over the airwaves and has turned social media into a veritable battleground pitting brother against brother and friend against friend. Were living in a world of extremes, and all too often, we find ourselves trapped in the middle, feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and not sure who we can trust or who we can believe. Sometimes it feels as though all hope is lost.

The book you are holding in your hands right now, however, is your plan for hope. I call it Soul Care because that is exactly what it is: a plan for caring for your soul. But Soul Care is not simply a program to followits a way of life. When practiced regularly, it can transform you from the inside out, shining light on the old things that no longer serve you and pointing to new ways of being that will.

As beloved pastor Charles Swindoll once said, No matter how dark the clouds, the sun will eventually pierce the darkness and dispel it; no matter how heavy the rain, the sun will ultimately prevail to hang a rainbow in the sky.

Thats Gods promise to usand God always keeps his promises! But we have a role to play as well. Our job, quite simply, is to have faith.

Faith is not an ethereal thing that we simply try to grasp. Its an action verbsomething we do on purpose. It takes effort and discipline. But I can assure you, the hope thats restored when you choose faith over despair is real. Its the priceless assurance that you are loved beyond all reason by a Creator who never takes his eyes off you.

In Jeremiah 29:11, we are told, I know the plans I have for you, says the L ORD . They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

In other words, God is willing and able to meet you exactly where you are and to carry you for as long as it takes to restore your strength. But having faith is your role to play. Faith is like a jolt of energy that activates our spiritual and emotional immune system as nothing else can. Its what enables us to actively complete the circuit of Gods love by choosing to believe we are not alonethrough sheer force of will, if necessarywhen the night is at its darkest. Faith is what keeps our internal compass pointed north. Faith is what makes hope possible. And as we learn in Jeremiah, true hope comes when we have a plan.

The following pages will introduce you to nine spiritual disciplines that will help you focus your heart and mind on God; let go of the bitterness, pain, guilt, fear, and anxiety that have been holding you captive; develop a solid support network; and renew your spirit one day at a time. How you use this book is up to you. My advice is to start small. Choose one discipline to begin with, and then when youre comfortable, add another. Spend time meditating on the Scripture verses. Let God speak to you through them. If youre able, commit them to memory so theyll always be top of mind when you need a quick jolt of encouragement. There is no wisdom greater than Gods Wordand no promises more powerful. If you consistently work to incorporate these spiritual disciplines into your life, in time you will discover a life free from anxiety, filled with hope, and infused with the kind of beauty, joy, and meaning that only God can bring.

There will always be uncertainty and suffering in the world. But as a follower of Jesus Christ, you were not born to suffer or to barely survive. You were born to thrive. God wants you to experience healing in your life. He wants the sunshine to break through the dark clouds obscuring your view. He wants to send a rainbow of healing so you can experience once again the fullness and joyfulness he intended for you all along. Enjoy the journey.

Dr. Gregory Jantz

Charles R. Swindoll, Hope Again (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1996), 277.

There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.

BROTHER LAWRENCE

Perhaps the most important spiritual discipline to adopt in your daily life is prayer. Now, when I write pray, I dont mean muttering a stream of rote, repetitious phrases you heard in church a long time ago. Im talking about regular, honest, heartfelt conversations with the one who created you, who loves you, and who desperately wants you to know him as intimately as he knows you.

So what should you talk about? Everything! There is no problem too big or too small to go to God with for help. As Elisabeth Elliot once said, If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things. Ask him for wisdom and guidance. Ask him to give you the courage and strength to get through the tough times. But dont stop there! Tell him about all the wonderful things that are happening in your life as well. Thank him for the daily blessings of family and friends. Share your accomplishments, your dreams, and your goals for the future. Talk to him about every aspect of your life, good and bad. Its so easy to get mired in negativity. Regularly scheduled prayer time provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on and express gratitude for everything that is going