R.I.C.E. for the Soul
As
a mother of five, I’ve dealt with my fair share of sprains over the years. I’ve
even suffered a few of my own. Long ago, I learned a little acronym for
treatment of sprains. R.I.C.E. stands for rest, ice, compression, and
elevation. After the injury, these steps help speed recovery.
The
other day I was chatting with a friend who was hurting spiritually and
emotionally. I was led to encourage her to take the time she needed to heal. My
encouragement to her was to treat her spiritual injury in a manner similar to a
physical one: with rest and elevation. As our conversation continued, she
encouraged me to come up with a R.I.C.E. acronym for spiritual and emotional
sprains.
After
our conversation ended, I put my assignment on the back burner and forgot about
it. However, this morning the Lord reminded me of it. Here are my thoughts.
R Rest
in the Lord.
I Immobilize.
Be still.
C Compression.
Wrap yourself securely in God’s Word.
E Elevate
your requests, pain, fears and emotions to Him in prayer.
Rest is healing; it
gives our bodies time to regain strength. Resting in the Lord does the same
thing for our spirit. We need to come to that place of rest and press into the
Lord. Pressing into the Lord is a lot like climbing into a soft bed and
allowing your body to relax. It’s a time when we come to our Father, climb into
His lap, lay our head on His shoulder, and feel His presence. These are the
moments we truly experience “peace that passes understanding”.
And the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:7)
Immobilization goes
hand in hand with rest. When the pain is so intense you find yourself
emotionally writhing, you need to be still. Simply be still and know that HE is
God. Our human inclination is to do something. We’ve all heard the phrase, “don’t
just stand there, do something”. However, in times like these we need to wait
upon the Lord. He wants to use these times of stillness to renew our strength.
Yet
those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with
wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not
become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)
Compression
helps decrease swelling in a sprain and helps the injury heal faster. Wrapping
ourselves in God’s Word does the same thing for us spiritually and
emotionally. The deeper we go into His
Word, the smaller the things of this world become. Time in His Word reminds us
how great and powerful our God is. God’s Word brings comfort and healing. His
Word is filled with His faithful promises and the ultimate assurance of
victory.
“I have said these things to you,
that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take
heart; I have overcome the world.” (John
16:33)
Elevation
is simply lifting up. A sprain must be lifted up to speed healing and decrease swelling.
In the same manner, we must lift up our spiritual and emotional injuries to the
Lord in prayer. He already knows your heart and understands your pain, so you
can be real with Him. Pour out your heart to Him. Cry out to Him. He is our Father
and wants us to come to Him. You can be certain that He is listening, He does
love you, and He knows what’s best for you.
“Do
not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
For those of you who
are injured and hurting, I pray that you will find health and healing. My encouragement
to you is to run to the Father. May you find rest in Him. In the moments of
stillness, may you be strengthened in Him. As you wrap your heart and mind with
His word, may you be renewed and encouraged. Finally, as you elevate your
prayers to Him, may your spirit be healed and may you be filled to overflowing
with His peace.
Be
Blessed!
Leslie
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