Sensing Shalom Through Refocusing Our Lens

In our current rhythm of life these days, many of us find ourselves moving quickly from one responsibility to the next.  Over time, this pace can quietly draw us away from our own bodies.  We begin to treat them as mere vehicles — getting us to work, school, meetings, and other commitments and responsibilities — rather than honoring them as an essential part of the fullness of life God desires for us.

In this state, our vision can become purely utilitarian if we aren’t careful!  For example, it is tempting to look at our calendars to measure our worth, look at our screens to find our information, and look at our neighbors only to see what they require of us.

It is important for us to be mindful of the fact that what we fix our eyes on eventually determines the shape of our souls.  If we only look at what is broken, what is urgent, or what is digital, our internal world becomes fragmented, weary, and impoverished.

Thus, to “Sense Shalom” through sight requires us to refocus our lens, a shift from scrutinizing our lives and the world to beholding them.  For example, we can pause and look at the creation around us by noticing the subtle yet incredibly intricate shape of a flower blossom.
In this moment, we have the opportunity to see it as a sacred gift rather than as a resource. Rather than being filled with anxiety, this simple act can fill us with a sense of greater joy and peace.

It is also important for us to remember that our eyes need physical Sabbath just as much as the rest of our bodies. In an era of “blue light” and endless scrolling, our mental health is tied to our visual focus. When we intentionally lift our gaze from our screens to the horizon, or from our self-critique to the Imago Dei in a stranger’s face, we allow the light of Christ to fill our whole body.

In other words, when we intentionally change what we look at and how we look at it, we begin to clear the fog that can lead to burnout and other health issues.  Plus, we are able to see more clearly the deep interconnectedness of our physical energy, our emotional resilience, our spiritual depth, and the wellbeing of our communities and the creation that sustains us, reminding us that wholeness is never solitary, but shared with neighbor and Creation alike.

As we continue to make our way in this new year, perhaps consider one (or more) of the following:

• When you look in the mirror, do you see a “resource” that must perform, or a “sacred gift” to be cared for?  How might you view your physical body with more kindness, starting today?
• Think of a “difficult” person.  If you looked at them with the “eyes of your heart” instead of your “functional eyes,” what beauty or brokenness might God be calling you to notice?
• Step outside for five minutes. Look for one thing in God’s creation that provides you with no “use” or “value” other than its own sheer existence.  How does acknowledging its sacredness change your stress level?
  

As you move about in the months to come, we pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened.  May you see the path ahead not just as a struggle to be endured, but, even more,  as a sacred route filled with the light of God’s presence.

Onward together,

Karen and Travis Webster

HSHC Co-founders

*Image was generated in Canva using AI.