Why Rhythms Matter for Your Soul

Life rooted in God is essential.

Wouldn't you agree?

If asked, most of us would say, "of course!!"

Abide in His presence. Live from that place.

That’s where strength and fruitfulness come from.

We recommend it to others. We preach it from pulpits and stages. 

Want to do great things? Live a real christian life? It's all about real connection with God. Seeking him. Knowing him. Staying in his word. 

And yet...if we’re honest, most of us struggle to actually live it in real time.

Not because we're living a double life, lost, or unsaved.

But because our calendars can tell another story.

So can our thoughts, our free time, and our easily distracted minds.

Here's what's true: a life connected to God in the modern age is nearly impossible if we leave it only to the leftover margins of our time. Hoping our daily motivations will get us where we need to go.

As nice as that would be, it just doesn't work like that.

Like trying to get together with a friend: if you don't plan for it, it's just not gonna happen. 

We all agree that practices and times with God are essential.

But—it's also the hardest thing to do consistently. 

The question is, how do we keep the main thing the main thing? Not get so caught up in the work and duty that we lose the most important part?

It's not about improving our motivation. It's our time and attention that need some help.

It's the fact that we can go a whole day without acknowledging God's active presence. That our schedules pushed out time for devotionals, journaling, and prayer a long time ago. And we never got them back. 

They're helpful, yes.

Essential, we would tell others. 

But when the pace quickens, when the demands rise, the stress goes up... they can be the first to go.

The healthy things that got us there in the first place. The things that keep us well.

If you have difficulty consistently doing life-giving practices, this blog is for you. 

Rhythms for the Soul

Like a garden, our connection with God grows best when it is tended with intentional rhythms—regular practices that create space for God’s presence to seep into our weary places.

These are the best ways I've seen leaders thrive long-term: Non negotiable parts of their week, month, and year that keep them grounded. 

Rhythms are so helpful to us because they do not depend on our in-the-moment creativity or motivation. They're going to be there, whether or not we feel like it. Our motivation can come and go, but when we have rhythms as a regular part of life, it helps us sustain things.

Some classic rhythms that keep people healthy:

• Sabbath-ing
• Date nights with your spouse
• Small group
  
• Meals together
• Gym time/walks/runs
  
• Meetups with a mentor 
• Scripture
• Journaling
• Prayer/Intercession

Here's some tips for rhythms to help you stay connected to God and others:

1. Make Rhythms set—but flexible.
   The point of a rhythm isn’t to fill space; it ends up actually creating space. They can be consistent in time but flexible in content. But making regular, doable cadences is the best way to stick with it. 

2. Do them with others if needed.
   I can't stress this one enough. Community helps us to do the hard-but-healthy things. I used to struggle to make space for daily devotions. Then I invited a few friends. Now, I can’t sleep in—because people are waiting outside my door at 5 AM! (click here for the full story of early mornings)  We do it together, and because of that, I get time each day to slow down, hear God’s voice, read His Word, and light a candle. It is so helpful to me and to each person who comes.
   
   

3. Discern which Rhythms you need for this next season.

   You don't need to cram. If anything, you could probably reflect on your day and find the non-beneficial waste. To discern what rhythms you need, consider all aspects of your soul's health: physical/mental, relational, financial, vocational, spiritual. Some mornings it may be prayer. Other times, silence or journaling. The rhythm is what matters most. If you want to work through those aspects and decide what to do, download our free Leader Care Plan resource.

How to Rhythm best:

• Meet regularly with a mentor/coach/spiritual director who cares for you and your walk with God. (find a Soul Care Guide here)

• Take time to reflect. Our ability to grow is capped at our capacity for self-reflection. Sometimes life moves so fast that we are incapable of asking, how are we really doing? We can sometimes get numb and brace ourselves, live in survival mode. When did I really last sense a deep connection with God? What do I need right now? (take the free Soul Health Assessment)

• Practice real rest. Do you have times where the phone goes off, and work takes a break? Sabbath has grown in topic lately as many Christians don't take a day to truly rest. It just becomes chore day. It is hard to actually slow down and do less. Many of us don't know how to do that. If you struggle to have good rest/alone time, schedule it out with life giving rhythms. My mentor told me to write them down, give them allotted times, and set a timer. 

Why This Matters

This isn't just a luxury. If you're too busy for healthy rhythms, it's actually a red flag for your longevity and sustainability. Don't let life-giving practices and relationships get pushed out. Long-term, in that situation, the withering of your soul is inevitable. 

Mindy Caliguire often says, when speaking to leaders, “We forget about God… and then we forget that we forgot.”

We can do great work.

Build great things.

Teach about how important it is to "do it all from a place of that deep connection to our life source."

But knowing is easy.

Walking is hard.

If you're a leader that struggles to keep or find rhythms that work for you, long-term, consider joining Soul Care's LeadWell rhythms. You can sign up for our weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms that help you keep the main thing, the main thing.

I'll leave you with this question:

What rhythms will you build into your life? 

New Free Leader Care Plan Resource

We’ve created a free tool in partnership with ECFA to help you reflect on your soul health and make a simple plan for growth. With thoughtful prompts and a guided framework, you’ll begin to notice where you are, and take steps toward where God is inviting you to go.

DOWNLOAD & START YOUR PLAN