Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. – John 1:3
We were created to be in touch with nature. The more time we spend in nature, the more we will heal and recover.
Many of us spend most of our time in front of screens amidst the urban lifestyle. The way we’ve moved toward a lifestyle of comfort and ease has caused many of us to become more anxious.
By staying at home, sitting on our couch and using our devices; we’re actually disconnecting ourselves from nature and having less access to what helps us heal.
The sights and sounds from our screens and fast lifestyle will only add to the daily stress we already experience from a busy lifestyle.
God placed us in a garden surrounded by animals and plants for a reason. We need to be around nature to survive and heal physically and mentally. When we replace our connection with nature with more screen time, our minds are no longer fed with what’s natural and it can no longer rest and relax naturally.
By feeding our minds with more noise and screen time, we’re slowly but surely allowing more anxiety into our lives. The concept of Roman circus where people are drawn in to entertain themselves to death has been around forever.
It is exactly this concept that we need to distance ourselves away from. There’s nothing wrong to follow sports or entertainment. But when it becomes more important than taking care of our inner life then something is truly missing.
When it’s easier to spend 5 hours watching a game than spending 5 minutes to heal our inner life, then we’re missing out on the healing that God wants for us. He’s created us to heal naturally and to heal through nature.
In order for us to start spending more time in nature we do these:
- We can start by doing simple things like walking outside for 10 minutes or doing gardening. Doing something as simple as watering the lawn can be therapeutic and relaxes our mind. It allows our mind to heal naturally.
- Having pets and indoor plants is another way for us to be in touch with nature.
- Go on hikes.
- Go on nature retreats.
- Get some sunshine.
- Play by the beach.
Stay unplugged and undistracted when doing these activities. Stay away from large crowds and noise. Focus instead on enjoying God’s natural creation. Do long prayer walks.
I use to attend retreats organized in campsites where I can spend time in nature and admire the beauty of God’s creation. I can easily spend hours walking outside while soaking in all that God has to pour into my life.
But lately, it’s been more common to have retreats in hotels out of convenience and comfort. No matter how nice the hotel is, it’s just not the same as having a retreat up in the hills surrounded by nature.
This is what’s missing from most of our lives and we need to get back to spending more time in nature to heal our minds.
Instead of focusing on how we can spend less time on our screens, focus on how we can spend more time in nature. The more we are drawn to what God has naturally created for us, the less inclined we will be toward the artificial.
“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind. – Job 12:7-10
Prayer –
“Thank you for creating this world and filling it with nature. Thank you for healing me and for providing resources for my healing. I want to spend more time with You by acknowledging the beauty of Your creation.”