Isaiah 30:15 "In returning and rest you shall be saved: in quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
There are a few ways that I use to return and rest. One of those is my daily meditation practice. One is to just simply “be” in nature. Sometimes I’m fortunate enough to combine the two! Another way is a bit more active, as I have to intentionally take the time to receive body work. Being a bodyworker myself, this is often put off because of my schedule, which is not living the example that I aspire to be for my clients! This year, I have made a commitment to regularly schedule myself time to “return and rest” to the natural state that I was created to be and I’m finding that I am more centered and grounded.
Recently, I was encouraged by one of my bodyworkers, to allow myself some time to return and rest and listen to any messages that may come my way before I got off of the table. The message I received was clear: “Confidence. Build confidence! In order to do that, you need to first fully love yourself…just like you encourage others---clients, students, friends, family---but it MUST start with loving yourself first. You MUST love every part of you, inside and out. Then your confidence will come because you will love yourself so much that there won’t be any room for self-doubts!”
I knew immediately where I had fallen short of loving myself and that my self-doubts were preventing me from moving forward with what God has clearly guided me to do next. So, if we’re clearly guided, doesn’t it seem logical that the way will be made clear? But yet the self-doubts were present and I knew without a doubt that I needed more self-love in my life. Perhaps that is what Isaiah meant when he said “you shall be saved” … saved from our own stinking thinking!
May growing your self-love bring confidence to your heart!