A Change of Heart
While I was driving recently the passage in Luke 17 came to mind. Jesus was on a journey walking the border of Samaria and Galilee in areas not normally traveled by the average person. This is revealed in the fact that he encountered ten men with leprosy who had to isolate themselves from the rest of the population due to their illness. It’s interesting to note that Jesus didn’t take the easy, direct path to his destination. The men called to him across the road, “Please Jesus, have mercy on us.” Jesus told them to go to their Priests, a custom necessary to confirm a possible healing, and while they were obediently on their way, they were all miraculously healed. One of the men, a Samaritan, later returned to Jesus to thank him for the healing.
As I was thinking about it I realized this story isn’t just about the need to thank someone who does something nice for us. It’s much deeper than that. The lone man who returned to bow at Jesus’ feet to thank him was told by Jesus that his faith had healed him. This man not only received a physical healing but was transformed spiritually, as well. He experienced a change of heart. The other nine missed out (at least at that moment in time) on a significant encounter with faith.
What happens to us when we express gratitude? *Kent State University conducted a study with some of their students related to expressing gratitude through writing letters to people to convey gratefulness for something specific someone had done for them. Students discovered many positive life changes in both physical health and attitude by writing these letters. The more they engaged in expressing thankfulness, the more positive results they experienced.
I’m wondering what life changes would be experienced by our clients by engaging in an activity like this. Can you imagine the benefits in a family, a friendship, a working environment, or a church?
To test it out, why don’t we as coaches try it? Consider writing one letter of gratefulness to someone for the next four weeks and document what emotions or feedback you experience.
You can read more about the Kent State study here:
* http://www.columbiana.kent.edu/news/newsdetail.cfm?newsitem=93f094fd-06b3-015f-a55590d59bfc182d
Sheryl Bullock
Relax
While the dictionary says that the word relax means “to make less firm, tense, or rigid” and to “seek rest or recreation”, how come there are so many people who go on a holiday and don’t relax? While seeking the rest and recreation they desire, the firm, tense and rigid reminders of work linger, diminished only by welcome intervals of escape. If you think this portrayal of running on empty may describe you, here are three reasons why this happens and some possible solutions.
You Have a Tired Soul
Whether you know it or admit it, your soul is so tired that even a holiday won’t do it for you. You’ve been running at a high level of emotional intensity for too long. It often shows itself in people who work with people. To keep investing at this emotional level, your body uses adrenaline. That constant heavy demand produces stress and further adrenaline draw that pushes you to do even more. It’s like an addiction and it just wears you down.
A CCN Coach Might Discuss:
In order to thrive again it’s time to sit down and actually write out on paper how you got to this point. You need a major change. Major change means totally reconstruct the way you do your work, do something else entirely or get rid of the largest cause of the problem if can be dismissed. Put a limit on the relationships that drain you. Set boundaries around how others may access you and relate to you. Work with a personal coach to gain clarity about yourself and your situation and transition to better actions. You take control.
You Have a Tired Body
Obviously I’m not addressing a slacker who’s trying to get out of doing their honest share of work. In fact, you’ve kept a physical pace well beyond your norm, haven’t you? Remember the biblical pattern of work and rest. Somewhere this pattern of pause for renewal has been abused by yourself, by others or by your perception of what others want of you. That costs.
A CCN Coach Might Discuss:
Look at your life as a whole, not as separate pieces of work, home, relaxation and service. God gives you the responsibility to take care of your whole self. Again, get out a sheet of paper and list the reasons you continue on with the hours that you do. Develop a new schedule. Decide the hours that you will work and stick to it. When tempted to work longer, work smarter. Do tomorrow’s planning the day before. Start to appreciate time out, or get out and do something different.
If there is work you absolutely cannot get out of doing (and I put the stress on “absolutely cannot”), look carefully at your discretionary hours. How do you spend them? Perhaps you need to consider changing the pace here. Take that time to renew. Watch your commitments.
You Have a Tired Spirit
You’ve been so emotionally overloaded or physically extended that you have neglected your connection with God. To come back into harmony with the One who created you could be the very thing you need to change every aspect of your present experience and give it life and vitality again.
You may even be someone who is at the pulpit, a camp or on a mission, speaking about spiritual things all the time. You’re bringing others spiritual food, but you know your own diet is an undernourished one.
A CCN Coach Might Discuss:
Allow God back into the loop. Pray. Ask for insight around your tiredness. Perhaps arrange some personal retreat time to do this. Read the Bible. If you don’t know where to start, try 2 Corinthians, a book for tired workers. Read and ask God to speak to you. He will give you insights for your own health and spiritual well being. From this new approach you’ll find strengthening that flows from the inside out. Much better you draw your energy from Him than trying to draw it from circumstances around you that you cannot have complete control of.
Gary Wood
Executive Leadership Coach
G. E. Wood and Associates
Gary is the Director of Christian Coaches Network
