The word sync has to do with harmonious relationships–at least two things that are working together in a good grove. Originally it was used in the movie industry to indicate whether or not the sound was matching up with the action. We can all remember old films where the actor’s mouth moved and then the dialogue followed a bit behind, words out of sync. This is the effect of close, but not quite right.
Don’t you love it when life syncs up nicely?
When things are in sync in my life, everything seems to roll along smoothly. People get where they are supposed to be, dinner finds its way to the table on time, bills are paid, tempers and irritations are held in check, spirit, family, work, health, and friends somehow balance–for the most part.
Reality.
There will be a period of relative calm, productivity, good will…things are in sync. My prized synchronization of life and soul slowly unravel, first one little habit or relationship is ignored. Preoccupied, I ignore the downward slide. Now out of sync, something else reacts to the magnetic pull of the disruption and skews out of balance. Before I know it, my lovely productivity and harmony is once again a goal to work toward.
Out of sync…again.
Let me fill in some of the details on this crazy cycle that comes like the seasons or the tide, seemingly inevitable. The busier or more disrupted life gets, the harder it is to exercise consistently. One workout gets sacrificed to a deadline or activity, and then another….and another. Lulled into the haze of the busy, the eating habits begin to slide as well. The spurge-worthy becomes the normal. The end result of exercise and diet getting out of sync shows up on the scale and on the hips.
Spiritually out of sync?
Here’s another example of how quickly important things in life slip out of sync. Let’s talk about the spiritual workouts of the soul, depth in prayer and conversing with God through the scriptures. [tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#quiettime”]Disrupted summer schedules make an easy excuse to skip time meditating on God’s Word. [/tweetthis]One day blends into the next day filled with things to do, people to see, and places to go. “Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll get to it tomorrow…”
Now I have long left the stage of obligation and duty in my devotional time with God. I know that God’s Word feeds my soul. I look forward to discovering what He has to say each time I open the well-worn blue leather cover of my Bible.
Yet still, it is all too easy to slip out of sync and my soul-strength shrivels. Soul out of sync, my insecurities and selfish desires rise up. Molehills turn into mountains and I get irritated more quickly. Motivation slips away and I’d rather play than work. I indulge in negative self-talk as if it were hot fudge on ice cream, yet the taste is bitter to my heart.
Frustration fights with peace until I finally turn.
Lay it down.
Let it go.
Repentant and seeking, I open my Bible with an apology on my lips instead of a prayer.
The light of God’s encouragement reminds me of what I have known but missed. Father speaks kindly to my self-condemning spirit as I write the words that echo in my heart.
Frustration and motivation– these are the dogs that nip at your feet. Do not be distracted by your emotions; press forward and keep moving, keep seeking Me. I am always here, always a part of you, Child of God. The best way through spiritual lethargy is to fall back on discipline-keep coming and keep drinking.
I will wash away the false pressures and the tempting distractions of your life.
Your task is to come and surrender yourself as a living and holy sacrifice. Put your heart in my hand and be reminded that your efforts do not make you righteous. My gift is grace and renewing the soul out of sync is my specialty.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@GingHarrington” hidden_hashtags=”#worship”]Worship puts your heart in sync with God.[/tweetthis]
Ready to recharge your spirit at the tale-end of summer? Try these ideas to refresh your spiritual routine.
Are you in or out of sync in your life today? How do you get yourself back on track? I’d love to hear from you:) Check out the links in the post for lots of ideas for getting your soul in sync.
Grab this Free Checklist to Create Habits of Rest
Do you need more rest in your life? Discover the benefit of building small habits to decrease stress and empower you to rest body, soul, and spirit. After all, rest includes so much more than sleep. Don’t miss the free printable Habits of Rest Checklist to help you create rhythms of rest in your life. Make your personalized plan to get the rest you need.
Overcome the Things that Hold You Back
A powerful encouragement for anyone who struggles to overcome anxiety, perfectionism, insecurity, or other mindsets that hold us back. Grow in holiness without the pressure to have everything “just right.” Through gentle encouragement, biblical insights, and applicable ideas you can experience a deeper life of freedom in Christ. Transparently sharing my own struggles, I want to help you live from the reality of hope, healing, and holiness.
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate link at no cost to you. Any books I recommend are resources I value and want to share.
Check Out Related Articles
- How Rest and Solitude Restore Your Soul After Stress and Loss
- Why You Should Trust Jesus for the Rest You Need
- 15 Habits of Rest to Improve Your Life
- Does Your Soul Talk Strengthen Your Faith?
- 10 Bible Verses for a Healthy Soul
- How to Care for Your Soul: Best Tips from 13 Christian Bloggers
I’m syncing with these communities: Coffee for Your Heart, #TellHisStory, #ThreeWordWednesday, #RaRaLinkUp, and Thought-Provoking Thursday.
So glad you're here. I help busy women—gals like you— build healthy habits for living well with biblical wisdom and practical steps to deepen your faith, increase your hope, and thrive in your purpose.
Oh friend, I love this! I love that we are neighbors today both at Holleys and at Jennifers! I love that I just had this conversation with a friend and with God as I skipped my workout – and opted for quiet time instead! It seems I prefer to do BOTH first thing and in the summer months when we creep up into triple digits early – I find myself feeling like I have to choose before the heat keeps me inside… both are good which can make the choice difficult. Still… I chose to be still and know this morning in the cool of the day and move indoors for a lower intensity workout in the blessed AC!
Love being neighbors with you. I often wish you didn’t live so far away. Would so love to be an in=town friend with you. Sometimes we need to make choices, but it is so nice when we can get it all in. Thanks so much for chatting today!
This is encouragement as my kids started back to school today and I’m settling back into a routine. I’m glad you linked up at #ThreeWordWednesday.
So hard to believe many started back to school this week! We have a few more weeks, which is good in that I am up to my knees in house projects. Getting back into a routine feels good after the summer break.
Worship puts your heart in sync with God – yes, beautiful statement. I also make mountains out of molehills when I get out of sync. Love how he gently helps us get back on track. Hope your summer was great. Sorry we never got to do our summer series. My summer took a huge u-turn. Maybe we can reconnect this Fall.
Yes, let’s reconnect this fall. I hope your U-turn turned out to be a good thing. Life often doesn’t go the way we plan. Love how we were both writing about drawing deeper into God.
Staying in sync is often easier said than done for me. Each morning I make out my little schedule, and each day it goes awry somewhere. 😉 But that’s okay. As long as I stay in sync with God, he can keep peace alive. It’s him I need to stay in sync with, not my schedule. Thanks for this encouragement, Ginger.
So true, so true! I love the way you put that, Lisa. How much better to do tasks and keep schedules practicing the presence of God. Blessings, Lisa and great to have you visit today!
We are definitely in a disruptive period of time, selling our home of 16 years, and buying a new to us home, all while my husband has been on a ministry trip in Africa, and when we leave for a ministry trip to London in a week and a half! CRAZY! During this time, I definitely have to work to keep in sync with the Spirit of God and in my relationships with others, too!
You do have a lot going on! This is when your to-do list becomes your prayer list too. Blessings on your ministry trip and in getting settled in your new home!
It is so true that summer schedules make it easy to break out of our habits. I go into every summer excited about all the time I can spend with the Lord, and rarely carry this out. I definitely see the effects lack of time with Him has on the way I look at myself and the world. I needed to read this today!
Thanks for stopping by my blog too. Nice to meet you, Ginger!
I know what you mean. This is the first summer that I have gotten most of the “projects” I planned for the summer done. Yet there is still a feeling of being out of sync with a solid routine. What is refreshing at the beginning of the summer can also make us ready for the fall.
Oh goodness me, this hit home today! For some unknown reason, I always presume summer will be a time of spiritual renewal, where there will be oodles of quiet time, just me and God, to grow deeper and read more of Him. Yeah, well that never happens. You’re right—schedules are out the window and somehow time with the Lord is this gargantuan challenge. Getting back into sync is key, and as you said, discipline is the first step back. And thankfully, grace is always there to meet us 🙂 Thanks for this— stopping by today from Coffee for the Heart.
Ginger thank you for this! Great way to get a sweet kick in the pants lol. But seriously, I need to be reminded that there is effort required to keep neglect at bay – and I need to commit to that!
I have to have a plan. Currently I’m reading through Mark, I also have a study topic completely separate from that, and I’m reading a book. I don’t do them all at once, but I can fellowship with the Lord in different ways. I also want to catch up on some sermons I’ve missed. I keep a prayer journal as well. I never feel like I do anything “enough” – I never feel like my devotion is enough, like my prayer is enough, etc. Do you ever feel like what you’ve done was actually enough?
Sounds like you are doing a lot! For me there is a real difference between what I am “doing” and how my heart is relating to God. It’s easy to judge ourselves on the amount of Bible reading and learning we do. A friend of mine begins each day in prayer, placing her hand in Christ’s (mentally) and asking Him to help her be present and aware of Him throughout the day. That has made a big difference for me. I’m learning to let go of worrying about whether I did enough, because I know that God is not approving or disapproving me because I did a certain amount. And yet at the same time, I love to spend time learning and communicating with Christ. Aim for consistency but walk in grace;)
Thank you for this, Ginger! I’m getting ready to facilitate a Bible study on worship and love the idea that it puts our hearts “in sync” with God. What a helpful way to look at something the Church so often misunderstands or limits. I’ll pass this concept along to my ladies when we start up!
I know you will be a blessing to the folks in your study. I’m so glad you have found something helpful to pass along. Isn’t it great to learn with one another. I learned a great new way to pray from your post today.