SELF-CARE IS NOT SELF-ISH
KEY SCRIPTURE: “Come away to a quiet place and rest.” ~ Mark 6:31 (NIV)
So often I see and hear Christians that are absolutely exhausted. They’re tired, frazzled, and running from one thing to another without taking a breath. They seem to think the more they do, the closer they’ll be to God.
I think it’s actually the opposite.
I think the LESS we do, the MORE we can have space to do what HE wants us to do.
When I talk with people about this, I usually hear the same thing. They don’t want to be selfish.
“I can’t take the day off, that would be selfish…”
“I can’t buy that for myself, that would be selfish…”
“I can’t take a nap, that would be selfish…”
“I can’t say no, that would be selfish…”
What we are failing to realize is that self care is NOT selfISH!
For example…
When we’re flying in an airplane, before we get very far the flight attendant comes on and goes over all the safety instructions. Most people completely ignore them. They’re reading or watching something or talking or sleeping… but I think there is a critical message that can be taken from these safety instructions.
“In the highly unlikely event that the cabin loses pressure, an oxygen mask will be released from a compartment above. Pull the mask down and place it over your nose and mouth. Though the bag will not inflate, oxygen IS flowing into the mask. SECURE YOUR OWN MASK BEFORE ASSISTING OTHERS…”
Three things…
We may not THINK doing this little thing, (taking care of ourselves in a small way,) is going to make a difference. We don’t SEE the mask inflating… but we must TRUST that when we put the mask on, (and do something to take care of ourselves,) it WILL help us.
We MUST take care of ourselves FIRST! If we don’t put OUR mask on first, then we may lose consciousness (and possibly die!) and then the little old lady or the child or the other person struggling that we COULD have helped, will probably die too, because we weren’t able to help them… because we didn’t take care of ourselves first!
Check your motives. Are you buying the new car because it’s awesome and you want everyone to see you driving it? (Selfish.) Or, are you buying it because it has excellent safety and comfort ratings and you have spine issues that makes it painful for you to drive most other vehicles with lesser ratings? (Self care.)
Obviously, I am not advocating a “me first,” mentality in that we always think of ourselves first and disregard the needs of others. I’m saying we have to do the little things to take care of ourselves SO THAT we can then help others.
Jesus did this ALL the time, and He was obviously NOT selfish.
He would go off early in the morning and spend time praying. And He knew that His disciples needed this as well. In Mark 6:30-32 we read, “The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) And they went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.”
As one of His disciples, He knows all that you are doing, and He whispers these words to your heart today… just as He did to His disciples long ago.
Take the time to care for yourself… and to allow Him to care for you. To fill you up so you are full of all that you need to carry out what He has planned for you to do.
Self care is actually the OPPOSITE of selfish.
In Him.
Always.
Amen.