Wishing for just one thing...

If there was just one thing I could do for my recovery, I would do it without hesitation.
Healing is just not that easy.
I would be glad to take a pill if it would take care of the pain. Don't misunderstand me. I am thankful for medication and meds have been a blessed part of healing for me. But only a part. Recovery is more than taking pain medication. Exercise heals. Diet makes a difference. Sleep matters. Drinking enough fluids is a part of getting all systems back on go. Breathing -- yes, breathing--deep, mindful breathing is part of the answer. Routine is a big part of getting the body back on track.
I spend a lot of time balancing all these things. No wonder I long for one simple solution!
Over and over again, I hear this same longing from churches recovering from decline. I hear from people who turn to simple (but not accurate) diagnoses that would, in their opinion, fix the lack of vitality of their church. Most often, in my present work, that is to blame the preacher for the present and fantasize that a new preacher is the answer to the problem. (Usually the simple remedy is a 30 year old preacher with 25 years' worth of pastoral wisdom and experience...)
Sometimes, a different preacher is PART of the answer. But, just like healing the physical body, recovery is not a simple, do-just-one-thing-for-instant-results answer. Recovery is a multi-faceted approach that takes time, patience, persistent practice and constant balance.
Add patience to the list of things that are essential for recovery...undergirding a renewed conviction that recovery and healing requires multi-faceted, balanced vigilance--in bodies, in relationships and in churches or in our world.
One simple thing will not usually fix significant problems and needs.