Are You Self-Soothing?

My kids had them. My grandkids have them. I’m talking about their “lovies”. The textbook sounded definition of a lovie would be any object, often a stuffed animal or blanket, that a wee one forms an emotional attachment to in order to feel safe and comfort themselves. This practice is known as self-soothing.

Horses, giraffes, doggies, and rabbits, the lovies of my kids and now my grandkids have taken many forms. Back in the day my toddler son was devoted to a well-worn blanket that sported one bundled up corner of wadded matting. Phillip considered this to be blankey’s head and he once had a complete meltdown because some totally innocent person accidentally sat on blankey’s face. Her name is not important here.

For the most part, a child’s bond with a lovie and their ability to use it to self-soothe can be a good thing. But, do take care. If your child is bonded to a lovie do not, and I repeat do not, lose said lovie if you value peace on earth.

Here’s another warning. As Christians we need to mindful not to develop our own little lovies out of otherwise wonderful spiritual disciplines like church attendance, prayer, and or our individual Bible studies. Why would I say such a thing? Because, I know from my own experience that’s it’s possible to use these disciplines as security blankets to self-soothe ourselves right out of God’s fellowship by using them to feel right with God, instead of seeing them as tools to grow closer to Him.

It may sound like a fine line, but give it some thought before you arbitrarily discard the idea. Our spiritual disciplines are good and wholly necessary, but if we aren’t seeking God in them, we’re creating self-soothing lovies. No amount of reading, praying, or church going can save our souls, and no amount of such spiritual disciplines can sustain our souls if we’re checking them off instead of using them to hear God for ourselves, and in hearing, to respond with obedience. They aren’t the real thing. He is.

Hugs, Shellie