Feb 18 Daily Devotional

Cultivate different facets of love each day this month.

February 18: Resilient Love

• Scripture: Romans 8:38-39 – For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Reflection: As humans, we experience both highs and lows. We endure hardships and remains strong even in difficult times. We are created as resilient beings.
  Love contributes to our strength and tenacity. It sustains our capacity to overcome. Along the way, God does not promise to prevent our challenges and losses. Yet Holy Love promises to be present with us in the midst of the hardest and most sorrowful of times, as well as the most bountiful or peaceful of times.
• Spiritual Practice Prompt: Journal about a time you faced hardship and who / what helped you remain strong.

• Build your connections
  • Prioritize relationships. Connecting with empathetic and understanding people can remind you that you’re not alone in the midst of difficulties. Focus on finding trustworthy and compassionate individuals who validate your feelings, which will support the skill of resilience.
  • Join a group. Along with one-on-one relationships, some people find that being active in civic groups, faith-based communities, or other local organizations provides social support and can help you reclaim hope.

• Foster wellness
  • Take care of your body… Promoting positive lifestyle factors like proper nutrition, ample sleep, hydration, and regular exercise can strengthen your body to adapt to stress and reduce the toll of emotions like anxiety or depression.
  • Practice mindfulness. Mindful journaling, yoga, and other spiritual practices like prayer or meditation can also help people build connections and restore hope, which can prime them to deal with situations that require resilience. When you journal, meditate, or pray, ruminate on positive aspects of your life and recall the things you’re grateful for, even during personal trials.
  • Avoid negative outlets. It may be tempting to mask your pain with alcohol, drugs, or other substances … Focus instead on giving your body resources to manage stress, rather than seeking to eliminate the feeling of stress altogether.

• Find purpose
  • Help others. Whether you volunteer … or simply support a friend … you can garner a sense of purpose, foster self-worth, connect with other people, and tangibly help others, all of which can empower you to grow in resilience.
  • Be proactive. It’s helpful to acknowledge and accept your emotions during hard times… If problems seem too big to tackle, break them down into manageable pieces… Taking initiative will remind you that you can muster motivation and purpose even during stressful periods of your life, increasing the likelihood that you’ll rise up during painful times again.
  • Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals and do something regularly—even if it seems like a small accomplishment—that enables you to move toward the things you want to accomplish.
  • Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often find that they have grown in some respect as a result of a struggle. For example, after a tragedy or hardship, people have reported better relationships and a greater sense of strength, even while feeling vulnerable. That can increase their sense of self-worth and heighten their appreciation for life.

• Embrace healthy thoughts
  • Keep things in perspective …Try to identify areas of irrational thinking, such as a tendency to catastrophize difficulties or assume the world is out to get you, and adopt a more balanced and realistic thinking pattern … You may not be able to change a highly stressful event, but you can change how you interpret and respond to it.
  • Accept change. Accept that change is a part of life. Certain goals or ideals may no longer be attainable as a result of adverse situations in your life. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can alter.
  • Maintain a hopeful outlook … An optimistic outlook empowers you to expect that good things will happen to you. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear…
  • Learn from your past …Remind yourself of where you’ve been able to find strength and ask yourself what you’ve learned from those experiences.

• Seeking help – Getting help when you need it is crucial in building your resilience.