Sister Stories | Elle's Story
The Surrender of Soul-Care
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31
It happened nearly three years ago but I remember it clear as day.
My husband, Michael, and I had just wrapped up dinner with my family and were in the car headed home when he looked at me and said, "I want my wife back."
Ouch. His unexpected words stung like an angry bee as soon as they left his lips, but I needed to hear them.
For months, I had been living from a place of extreme burnout. I wasn't willing to admit it, but my actions undoubtedly reflected it. It resulted in no good thing. Not only did it cause me to neglect my marriage and treat my husband poorly, but I also “didn't have time" for the very thing I needed in order to be spiritually, physically, and emotionally healthy as well: soul care with my Creator.
Once I processed Michael's request, we spent the days that followed talking about what it would look like for me to stop working 60-80 hour weeks and work part-time from home instead.
I wish I could tell you I was all for it from the get-go, but if I am being completely honest with you it took a while for me to come around.
You see, at the time, I prided myself on how much money I made. So much so that I lost myself in it. When Michael initially told me he needed his wife back, I immediately jumped to defend my career choices. Instead of hearing his words for what he genuinely intended them to come across as, I allowed myself to believe the lie that Michael didn't appreciate all that I had contributed toward the financial well-being of our marriage. And it crushed me.
But when I took a moment to reflect on the last several months of my life, I saw a lack of presence in our marriage that I had allowed my work life to replace. I saw a roadblock in my relationship with God because I had been so distracted by the tempting and temporary treasures of this world. *sigh* Talk about a solid dose of conviction. I couldn't believe how far I had strayed.
To tell you I'm grateful God used Michael to look in my eyes and call this out of me in order to speak life into me means more than words can say. God used his protection of our covenant and leadership within it to open my eyes to Truth and allow me to see that it was time to make some [very] necessary changes.
The season to follow would be one of soul-care and growth in my relationship with the Lord and my husband. It was a season of refinement and sanctification, and it was so incredibly hard. But it was needed and the fruit that came from it shined with God's faithfulness and glory.
As 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (ESV). My prayer for us today is that we would do just that.
Soli deo Gloria.
|Meet Elle|
Hi, I’M ELLE, IT’S GREAT TO MEET YOU.
I am 27-years-old and live in Tennessee, my husband and absolute best friend, Michael. During my junior year of college (2014), while studying theology at Lipscomb University, God laid the idea of an online women’s ministry on my heart. Fast forward 5+ years to where Daughter of Delight stands today: as an online community of over 100,000 women of faith from all over the world! Come say hi on Instagram here, join the Daughter of Delight family here, and hang out in the private Facebook group here!