Step Into the Light and Spiritual Intimacy as an Act of Self-Care

An excerpt from Press Pause: Making Time for God in an Overscheduled Life

Spiritual Intimacy: The Self-Care You Need

Growing up in a Christian tradition of women working in the home, church, and community and with careers, I saw them in constant motion. When did they sleep? I did not hear them saying, “I am going to the gym,” nor did I see them taking breaks for a walk. Although they were devout to God and had a call on their lives, the stress placed on their bodies was ignored. Even as a child, I wondered why God did not remind them to care for their bodies. There seemed to be the idea that God would take care of them as long as they took care of his business, that God was only concerned with constant doing and not rest. They had great faith and hope in God, but many ignored their health until they deteriorated physically and mentally. They were ignoring the signals of burnout.

Another term for burnout is allostatic load. It is the unrecognized demands on the entire body—the brain and physiological composition. Women who neglect self-care are unconscious of chronic stress as the tasks they are assigned consistently fall like a stack of dominoes. Allostatic load uncorrected can lead to diagnoses of diseases that can be circumvented when listening to God in prayer and stillness.

A lot of chatter is going on about self-care. There are books, podcasts, blogs, you name it, on the topic of self-care. All the resources can be daunting, coupled with the time needs of work and home life, leaving no room for self-care. Whenever I present at a women’s retreat, conference, or day of guided solitude, we begin with an assessment of daily energy expended. Why? Identifying where we use our energy is a way of evaluating when, where, and what time is spent on. This is an open door to a simple way of beginning self-care of the spirit, mind, and body. Spiritual care in daily private time with God is the launching pad for a better you, when you listen and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit for your total well-being. Spiritual intimacy is the root to successful living.

Women who find time in their day to practice spiritual development are at peace. They have learned to pace themselves, to maintain focus, and to counteract chronic stress loads. Those who choose to retreat from the speed of life learn that spirituality can be a remedy to avoid burnout and heal mind and body. Educator and author Parker Palmer wrote, “Burnout is a state of emptiness, to be sure, but it does not result from giving all I have: it merely reveals the nothingness from which I was trying to give in the first place” (Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak). The practice of pause redirects dependence on God for everything—we remember to focus on the sufficiency of his grace.

Today, not much has changed in terms of church women being the primary volunteer staff for the operation of the ministry; thus, pausing to care consistently for our temples, in most cases, is on the back burner. We can obey God in some areas and be disobedient in our bodies’ emotional and physical care. Pressing pause will aid us in assessing the needs of our bodily temple daily if we are attentive and willing to be obedient to do those necessary things for total temple care. For example, quality rest, balanced meals, recreational time, social and family time, and times of solitude. If we are not careful to slow down long enough to be mindful of our mental and physical health, it will be neglected. Just as our homes, churches, and cars need maintenance for preventive care, so do our bodies.

Pause on Purpose: Step into the Light

“You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” –Psalm 18:28

In the dark, I was trying to find a flashlight or candles after a tornado caused a power outage. Moving around the room, I paused to determine whether I was near a set of stairs, a door, or even a window to gain my bearings in the pitch black. Finally, reaching the laundry room, I moved my arm across the washing machine to grab a flashlight off the shelf. Yay! I found one, but no batteries were in it. It became necessary to go downstairs, because I knew there were candles and matches there. Gliding my hand on the walls, I found the banister and let it guide me to the last step, then the kitchen floor. It was with joy I found the matches in the first draw I checked and a candle nearby on the countertop.

Finding the light to proceed toward goals and dreams is necessary. This is what occurs when we pause for time with God. Too often, in pursuit of purpose, the refusal to slow down actually impedes progress because of active comparison or fear that we will not reach the mark. In order for me to have light after the storm, I had to step into the darkness. Obedience to God in a world that seems to offer everything challenges us to trust God to enable us to successfully complete our task. Pause more often and hold on to the walls of the heart of God, and he will lead you to the light victoriously every time.

Pause is a tool for spiritual growth. It is what keeps us motivated and focused as we move peacefully toward the prize. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”

Reflection: We all carry a light of hope for others. Whose light are you following? The Light of the World is waiting…pause and come away into his guiding light.

Prayer: Lord, you see me. I sense your presence even when life is dark. Help me trust in you rather than human strength, societal trends, and my own will. Father, I want to know you. Amen.

Adapted from Press Pause by Karynthia Glasper Phillips. © 2026 by Karynthia Glasper Phillips. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com.