Evening Y'all! I pray this post encourages you and gives God glory! Got suggested topics you want me to write about? Please comment below or email me at info@mocatoday.com.
I've been seeing a lot of posts lately that promote the viewpoint that self-care is a sin and caring for oneself is displeasing to God. This viewpoint is not biblically correct.
And yet, if you're not careful, you may find yourself giving this false belief power in your life that leaves you feeling condemned, guilty, or ashamed for making time for self-care. Given this, let's talk about self-care today and disprove the myth [or false belief] that prioritizing some of your time for self-care is sinful and displeasing to God.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines self-care as "the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health (e.g., mental, physical, emotional, financial, spiritual health), and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider."
Like most things with God, it's all about balance and making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. Too much self-care can lead to producing the fruits of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-25), self-centeredness, self-indulgence, pride, and selfishness. All of which God hates and are indeed sinful (Romans 8:8, Philippians 2:3-4). Too little self-care produces a form of bondage where the neglect to care for your mind, body, and spirit can lead to not fulfilling God's calling for your life, never maturing your spiritual gifts, or being able to grow in Jesus Christ. All of which are indeed displeasing to God as well. Therefore, the type of self-care that's pleasing to God consists of always keeping God first (Proverbs 3:6, Matthew 6:33) and only getting your marching orders on how and when to care for yourself from the Holy Spirit. Throughout the scriptures, we read about God commanding a brother or sister to practice self-care in the form of resting in Him, praying to Him, casting our burdens to Him, and worshipping Him.
Hence, self-care for a believer looks different than the world's definition.
In Crossway's Q&A series, writer Jen Oshman, answers three questions about self-care:
Q: Is self-care wrong for the Christian?
A: The very short answer is, no, self-care is not wrong for the Christian. We, like everyone else, are finite, limited creatures who need care to survive. The Bible tells us repeatedly that our flesh is like grass, and we will wither (Job 14:2, Psalm 102:1, 103:15, Isaiah 40:6-7, James 1:10, 1 Peter 1:24). It’s a fact of life that we must provide daily care for our limited bodies. But the way in which we do that, as followers of Jesus, will be distinct.
Q: How is Christian self-care unique and distinct?
A: Self-care for the Christian must be fundamentally distinct from self-care found in the world. First, Christian self-care is founded on the principle of stewardship. Followers of Jesus acknowledge that we are not our own, our bodies belong to the Lord, and we are called to honor Him with them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We rightly believe that our life and breath and everything else is from the hand of God (Acts 17:25). Above all, self-care for the Christian is an act of stewarding our bodies and lives on behalf of our Maker. Christian self-care seeks to tend to what God has created, to honor Him above all by protecting what He has made.
Second, Christian self-care is not an effort to ignore or minimize our stress and problems. In Him we are invited to acknowledge the weight of our stress and the heaviness of this life, and confess that we cannot carry it alone. Christian self-care is laying our burdens at the feet of Jesus.
Paul reminds us that the Lord says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (1 Corinthians 12:9).
Third, Christian self-care is eternal in nature, not temporary. Throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament, we see that the character of our God is to care for us—His people—made in His image. There’s a repeated call to seek Him and find Him (Deuteronomy 4, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9, Acts 17:24-28).
Christian self-care is not a quick fix or a brief time-out. It is a whole new paradigm with God at the center. It is faith. It is the life-changing surety that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5), that if God is for us nothing can be against us (Romans 8:31), that no one and nothing can snatch us out of God’s hands (John 10:29-30), that one day our dwelling place will be with God and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:3-4). Christian self-care is rooted in the truths of eternity and our good God’s sovereignty over all of it. It lasts far, far longer than any coffee break, yoga class, or dream vacation.
To bring it all together, Christian self-care is both rooted in and grows out of a foundation in Jesus. We acknowledge that He is our Creator and Savior, and so we steward our lives for Him. We don’t run away from our problems, but we allow them to drive us to Him, and we rest in His able and eternal care for us. Christian self-care is distinct because it’s so much longer-lasting, far reaching, and soul-satisfying than anything the world offers you and me. God alone is the source and means of our care.
Q: What does Christian self-care look like?
A: The best advice or wisdom I can offer when we are exhausted, burned out, disillusioned, or stressed beyond our own ability to cope is to turn to Jesus. This is no trite sentimentality. When we turn to Jesus, we acknowledge what is true; namely, that we were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). God is our beginning and our end— He made us for Himself. We cannot run on any other fuel.
The best self-care habits— not only for the Christian but for any human being— lead us back to our Maker and Savior. Truly beneficial self-care will reorient us again and again to where our help comes from: the Lord (Psalm 121:1-2). Real self-care is humble, acknowledges our own weaknesses, and casts all our anxieties on Jesus because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
By all means, you and I should feel free—and even encouraged—to participate in activities that are life-giving and restful. We are free to enjoy an hour at the coffee shop alone, to get a pedicure, to book a night away, to take a long hike, or to hone as many healthy habits as we’d like. But our hope cannot be in these activities or their results. While enjoyable and likely fruitful, these are not the means of restoring our souls.
It is only God who gives us green pastures, quiet waters, and restored souls (Psalm 23:1-3). Let us pursue these activities with freedom, but with hearts oriented towards our Lord. Within the context of these activities, we must abide in Jesus if we want genuine, lasting, soul-deep relief (John 15:4-5). However we pursue self-care in practice, let’s be sure to soak up the word of God, pray to the Lord, meditate on His character, sing hymns and songs of praise, and set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2) as we go.
Therefore, whenever you find yourself needing more personal care, guidance, and love that only Jesus Christ can give, please no longer allow feelings of guilt, shame, or condemnation rob you of the incredible opportunity to dive deeper in Him. Balanced self-care as God leads is pleasing to Him!
Your thoughts? I'd love to hear from you!
Remember, it's about progression not perfection!
God loves you! With Him, you got this! Until next post, may God give you His peace and blessings!
~Natasha
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