Written by: LaVonda McCullough, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Although the sunlight was peaking through the curtains, I was utterly overwhelmed at the thought of starting another day.
Have you ever battled anxiety and stress just to greet another day? The overwhelm and exhaustion has strapped themselves to you, and you feel the weight throughout your body.
I clung to the blanket, dreading another day. No, please don’t make me get up.
My days were chaotic and had become unmanageable. What could possibly bring clarity and fulfillment to my unproductive and depressed life?
Soaking worship will provide you calm and peace.
Soaking is an act of quietly and comfortably allowing yourself to be in the presence of God. And worship is of giving love and adoration to God. Soaking worship uses the key elements of having an attitude of worship, intentional worship meditation that’s not hurried, and being positioned for an encounter with God.
This two-way exchange will bring greater clarity, laser-headed focus, and peace. It is providing not only spiritual benefits but also natural benefits. As you physically and mentally relax in God’s Presence, it will help relieve stress, pressure, and anxiety.
“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
During this time of exchange, there is no need to perform. You are receiving unconditional love, and you can open yourself up to all God wants you to be and receive all that he wants for your life and circumstances.
Resting is a gift, and He longs to give you His rest.
Soaking is one of the ways that we learn how to rest.
Each one of us is a spirit, living in a body that gives us our physical identity to interact and communicate with the world around us, and we have a soul.
Our minds allow us to learn to receive and respond to who God is for us.
Try to switch off your Soul and sit quietly with the inner man, your Spirit, who is the “real” you are interacting with God.
Our souls are the unseen structure of our mind, will, and emotions. The soul gives us the ability to choose, think and feel emotions. So when our mind -our will and -our emotions are overwhelmed, we feel pressure and start having negative thoughts.
Our body controls our addictions; our soul controls things such as OCD, PTSD, perfectionism, emotionalism, etc., whereas our spirit controls our connection with God.
Resting removes the pressures in your life.
‘As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.’ Psalm 42:1 (NIV)
This verse gives a glimpse of a worshipper’s heart longing and a thirst for God and worship. The two go hand and hand.
When our thoughts are racing and not focused, we suffer from stress.
4 Benefits of Soaking
1. Fosters Intimacy
An intimate relationship with God will foster the feeling of unconditional love, appreciation, and acceptance. You spend time getting to know someone who has your best interest at heart and will provide you guidance for your future.
2. Facilitates Encounter Your encounter is unique to you. But the key is setting aside intentional time that is not hurried. Don’t allow the tyranny of the urgent to take the place of what is most important. Decide to distinguish between the two.
3. Releases Prophetic Ministry Experience hearing God’s voice for yourself as you open your hearts to God. When you position yourself before Him, it is often during these times that He births His dream in our lives and speaks what’s on His heart.
4. Provides Refreshment Your intentional surrender and yielding of your heart will fill you with refreshing thoughts and a renewed mind. When you renew your mind, you transform your life.
A renewed mindset is full of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
When you have a refreshed and energized mindset, you can work with laser-focused clarity with peace and calm.
LaVonda McCullough, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr. LaVonda McCullough is a Christian Life Coach that uses her proven strategies to coach women leaders to overcome mindset limitations and emotional overwhelm to walk in their God-given purpose boldly and confidently. She has dedicated her life to helping countless women walk to freedom over shame, anxiety, depression, and unforgiveness. She travels internationally speaking on mindset renewal through prayer. She is the founder of Joyful Journey, LLC, and her signature RefresHER Women’s Retreat is consistently attended by women worldwide who are seeking to reach the divine power within to become confident in their calling. She is the author of “21 Days of Fasting & Praying: The Beginner’s Guide to a Disciplined Life” and the newly released online course “Rekindled: Igniting an Intimate Relationship with God through restoration and renewal”.
