For it is the wellspring of life...
You may be wondering what inspired me to name my new practice Wellspring Counseling? In the book of Proverbs, (Chapter 4:23), it says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
Wellspring means:
1. the head or source of a spring, stream, river, or the like; fountainhead
2. a continuous, seemingly inexhaustible source or supply of something: a wellspring of affection.
wellspring. (n.d.) American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. (2011). Retrieved August 30 2018 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wellspring
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom writings. It suggests that there is something deep within us (our heart) that we need to guard closely.
Often times when I see clients, we have to dig underneath the surface to get to the source. The client may present with symptoms of depression or anxiety, but once we can identify the root of the symptoms, then we can start to work through it. We not only have to work through the past hurts and wounds, but we need to take steps to guard our hearts and protect it.
Guarding our heart means to be diligent and watch what we put into it, and to get rid of anything that is not good for us. It is much like gardening. If you have ever gardened, you have to give the plants the proper nutrients, sunlight, and water, and you have to pull up the weeds to keep them from choking out the good plants. In the same way, we need to fill our minds and bodies with good things that feed us and help us grow. We also need to recognize the weeds in our lives and pluck them out, so that they don't take over and root out the good things in our lives.
When our wellspring source is good, good things flow from it. Things like “the fruits of the Spirit” that we find in the New Testament. “Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These all come out of letting God's Spirit work in us and being connected to him.
What is flowing out of the wellspring of your life? If you are wresting with the hurts and lies of the past and are experiencing anxiety, depression, bitterness, anger, or addictions, contact me and I would be happy to help you look deeper into your life, so that you can experience life more freely.