It's no secret that caregiving is as much an emotional journey as anything else. It's easy to live on the proverbial edge when you never know how or when things are going to change on a dime. Your loved one may spike a sudden unexplained fever. They may get a sore or fall. Maybe they just have an unusually rough day. Any number of things can happen at any given time. These can weigh on the soul and have us running for the back of the cave.
People may not get it at all, especially if they haven't experienced caregiving. Sometimes, it seems they just want us to return to normal, but that is not going to happen. We end up with new normals, new experiences, and new friends (hopefully), but normal isn't even discernable anymore. Social isolation is just one emotional problem we have to navigate. There's not much help for it either, which is why it's easy to become comfortable in the back of the cave. Hey, at least it's safe there, right?
It's no wonder that God promised to remain the keeper of our souls. While we know He is our provider, He didn't say He was the keeper of our finances. He didn't say He was the keeper of our bodies, even though we are fully aware He can heal. He is the keeper of our souls. It's the part of us that won't die, the part that makes us uniquely us. Our mind, will, and emotions are woven intricately into our souls. God is that deeply acquainted with us - that He recognizes and keeps our souls.
God is aware when we feel alone. He knows we are really alone, too.
He knows when we are restless while waiting on an answer.
God understands the intricacies of caregiving and how it affects our souls, our minds, and our bodies.
Sometimes, He just sits with us in the back of the cave. He's silent. But He's there.
Today, I feel like I'm hidden in the back of the cave, but I will remind myself that I can't go far enough back that He can't find me and be with me. The caregiver's cave isn't too deep, too dark, too dank, or too anything for Him. I'll picture just me and God sitting there. Comfort and peace ooze out of Him toward my soul, but it's up to me to choose to let that peace reign and let the comfort ease the discomfort in my soul. Here we sit - with me trusting Him for one more day. Will you join me?
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Book of the Week!
Gifts of the Spirit Bible Study Guide
· Did you know that God gave the body specific gifts for specific reasons?
· Does each gift have a purpose?
· Want to learn more about the gifts gave us so we could grow in Him?
· Who gets these gifts and how are they used?
Are the gifts applicable in today’s church environment
Gifts of the Holy Spirit Study Guide touches on all of these and more!!
Grab an eBook or Kindle version of this study guide and take a dive into the gifts of the Spirit. We’ll walk through 1 Corinthians 12 and other NT passages that provide more insight to the “tools” God has given the church. We’ll also link back to the OT and see what the gifts look like in raw operation.
Currently, but subject to change soon – this study guide is available in eBook or Kindle formats only. Grab the eBook, print it out, open your Bible, and learn the basics of the Gifts Holy Spirit gave us!
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