All service is a pouring out.
As we serve, God’s life pours out of us into others. To live a life of pouring out makes for the very best life. There are few things more beautiful on earth. But if life pours out without life pouring in, we’ll inevitably run dry.
We’ve all seen what that looks like. Sometimes, it’s a fiery crash-and-burn: the mental breakdown or addiction or affair. But more often, it appears subtly: the slow loss of joy in a role we once loved; the voice that used to sing, now monotone; irritation at people even as we serve them.
I’ve tasted this bone-deep dryness myself over the years, many times. I imagine most of us have.
As we enter the new year, we long for more of the life Jesus promised when he said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) We long for compassion and tenderness toward those we serve, for a balance of work and other life that honors God and all he has given us, for restoration of the wrongs we seek to mend everyday, and for the energy to persevere even when we see little fruit.
Here’s the very good news: these are the very places where our good Father desires to pour life into us. He delights to pour life into His children, to restore our souls (Psalm 23:3).
This is the fountainhead of a Christian vision for soul care.
Three types of ‘receiving’ in soul care
Christian soul care is different from self-care. Of course, there is nothing wrong with meeting our own needs. But often, self-care is driven by a deep-down sense that if I’m not looking out for me, no one will.
Christian soul care is the opposite. It is not grasping for what we feel we need or are owed, but a receiving of God’s care. It bears no guilt, confident that the Maker of all things wants to pour into us.
Our role — what we might call “soul care” — is simply this: learning to receive from God.
Receiving is never a passive thing. We must choose to open ourselves. It demands the opening of clenched and grasping hands. It requires a redirecting of our attention, freshly attuned to good gifts our Father has offered all along. “Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters…” (Isaiah 55:1)
Throughout history, earnest Christians — eager to receive from God — have chosen particular activities that grow them in this way. These practices or rhythms of soul care are sometimes referred to as “spiritual disciplines.” That term is certainly not incorrect. They are disciplines in that they require effort, including choices that feel quite difficult at first. But they are not just disciplines. They are, most of all, God-invited ways to receive more life from Him.
Practicing soul care daily, weekly and yearly
In this new year, we invite you to step into God-invited ways to receive more life from Him. We’d invite you to consider three rhythms of soul care for 2026: daily, weekly and yearly.
DAILY: Spending time with God
God invites us into a daily receiving — taking at least a little time each day away from activity and noise to be with Him and receive new life from Him.
By viewing this daily practice as an invitation to receive, we feel a freedom to receive in a slightly different way each day. We open our hands to receive in a myriad of ways:
- We may delve deeply into Scripture — studying or meditating on or memorizing God’s written Word.
- We can pray earnestly — in supplication or longing or praise.
- We may sit in stillness or sing out loud or reflect in a journal.
- We may walk out in God’s creation — talking with Him and thanking Him for the beauty He’s made.
Do you have a set time and place to be with God daily? Let’s not get bogged down about the amount of time you spend, but do get habitual about when and where each day.
WEEKLY: Enjoying the gift of Sabbath
A true vacation is a joyful unburdening from the normal loads of life. Such times can be wonderful, but often feel all too rare. Marvelously, God desires to give His people this same experience every week: the gift of an entire day set aside entirely for rest, worship and play!
To receive the gift of Sabbath requires intentionality, especially at first. It helps to develop a clear plan for receiving the rest, worship and play God intends for us. That can start simply by deciding that during our Sabbath, anything on our “to-do list” — whether at work or home — is laid on the altar. We make the hard choice to rest in the unfinished, entrusting those things to God.
Some thoughts that may help as you plan:
- A full Sabbath is 24 hours, but we can experiment with any block of uninterrupted time.
- A simple activity can help us to “enter” Sabbath, such as lighting a candle or reading a Psalm.
- Consider minimizing the use of phones and other technology in order to maximize true refreshment.
Different seasons of life may call for different ways of practicing Sabbath, each with unique blessings.
Take a moment to assess your weekly rest. Where might you need to draw a boundary line so you can receive God’s care through rest, worship and play?
YEARLY: Getting away for a Pilgrim Feast
Even before the Israelites reached the Promised Land, God offered His people a remarkable gift: three unique week-long holidays each year. These “Pilgrim Feasts,” as they were sometimes called, were invitations to step entirely away from normal tasks and burdens. Participants traveled together up to Jerusalem for a matchless time of refreshment, worship, fellowship and feasting. (Lev. 23, Num. 28-29 and Deut. 14:22-26; Deut. 16.)
The path to a Pilgrim Feast starts with a heart stance: a willingness to receive. This isn’t just about time off you’re owed or a vacation you’re planning. It’s not self-care. It’s God’s care, a sacred gift. He desires to restore your soul — body, mind, relationships and spirit. Our part is simply to consider how He may invite us to receive this gift.
A few elements to consider:
- A Special Place. Pilgrim Feast started with getting away from one’s typical spaces and responsibilities. What kind of places help you feel especially “away” and unburdened?
- Relationships. Pilgrim Feasts were rich in fellowship. Which relationships do you especially desire to grow?
- Time Outdoors. Most of a Pilgrim Feast was experienced outdoors. Both Scripture and science affirm that marvelous gifts come to us through God’s creation — from a deeper sense of God’s character (Rom. 1:20) to boosted health and happiness. How might you weave nature into your plans?
- Favorite Foods and Drinks. God directed His people to use money they’d set aside to buy their favorite foods and drinks to celebrate with feasting (Deut. 14:22-26). What are yours?
- Physical Activity. Pilgrim Feasts involved lots of hiking. Whether you prefer marathons or a leisurely stroll, even light exercise makes your body and mind feel better in countless ways. What physical activities might you especially enjoy?
- Music. Singing and worship were at the core of Pilgrim Feasts. How might you weave music into your time away — bring an instrument, a favorite album or a new playlist for the road?
Take a look at this year’s calendar. When might be a good time to plan a week-long Pilgrim Feast?
The loving care of God is what transforms us
The heart of these three rhythms of soul care is ultimately about experiencing more deeply the loving care of God — which is the most transformative experience on earth.
As we do these things, we do not remain the same. We are not only restored in the moment, wonderful as that is. We also steadily become different types of people: more kind, generous, patient, joyful, loving. In a word, we become more like Jesus.
Will you join us on the journey to become more like Jesus this year?
-Jedd Medefind is the president of Christian Alliance for Orphans.
Introducing a NEW Soul Care Resource for the Journey
Feeling the weight of pouring out for vulnerable children and families? You don’t have to go it alone. God invites us into simple rhythms and practices that feed our souls — so we can keep our hearts light even amid heavy work.
Sign up for our new bi-monthly Soul Care email — a refreshing, encouragement-filled resource to help you receive God’s life, deepen your soul care practices, and go the distance in this journey of caring for orphaned and vulnerable children and families.
