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As we serve others in ministry, at home, or in the workplace, self-care is an often neglected area. We “know” that we should take better care of ourselves, but there is a myriad of reasons why we are not consistent in doing so. Lack of time, energy, or motivation are a few reasons why we do not fully invest in strengthening and caring for ourselves. While we continue to give and pour into others, it is essential that we do not give from an empty cup. When we invest in strengthening our body, mind, and spirit, we will live fuller, balanced, and more joyful lives. Most importantly, we can better serve those we are called to serve.
God is not anti-self love. The Bible tells us to "love your neighbor as yourself." If you struggling with self-love, you will struggle with having the time and energy to love others well.
Practicing self-care and self-love involves a recognition that we need God to lead, sustain and guide us each step of the way. As we are more intentional about surrendering our anxieties and burdens to God, we can experience greater peace and rest.
Here are 10 Bible verses that support the value of self-love and finding time for self-care:
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1. Prioritize Quality Time with God
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
A big part of maintaining healthy self-care is pausing and committing time to having focused prayer. Jesus was intentional about prioritizing spending time with God, His Father. Before the demands and responsibilities of each day begin, I am filled with God’s word in my morning devotion time. The morning is often my only chance to spend uninterrupted time with God to gain clarity, wisdom, and give thanks. In this brief quiet time, my mind is renewed, refreshed, and strengthened for the day.
When we devote more time to God, God will renew, recharge, and remind us that we do not have to battle life by ourselves. God is with us and will provide us with what we need to accomplish our God-given calling. Today, I encourage you to schedule and find time in your day to spend with God in prayer and gratitude, staying connected to receive greater wisdom and direction.
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2. Care for Yourself as You’d Care for a Friend
“The second is this: Love your neighbor, as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)
As we are attentive and caring for those we are entrusted to serve, our personal, mental, and spiritual health should be given the same delicate care. When we abandon caring for our personal needs, we can remain exhausted, overwhelmed, and depleted. There are seasons where I have served from a feeling of obligation or routine because I was not being ministered to. Sound familiar?
During seasons where you may find yourself exhausted or overwhelmed, God is calling you to pause and be strengthened and renewed by the love of God, our Father. God wants us to rely on Him for strength, guidance, and wisdom to be filled up with positive affirmation and truth from God. God wants us to serve others from a place of renewed strength, and not depleted energy.
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3. Remind Yourself Who God Made You to Be
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
God has called each of us for a unique purpose before we were created. As we serve in the areas we are called to, resting and recharging keeps us grounded, refreshed, and revived. Investing time in caring for ourselves is an act of worship, and it also reminds us how God views us. Our identity in Christ is rooted in grace, love, and peace. As we abide in Christ more and are strengthened by the power of God, we will begin to grow a stronger identity and dependence on God. To be intentional about self-care, I invite you to begin to speak out loud God’s word as a source of encouragement, and a way to speak new life and hope into your spirit.
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4. Reconnect to God’s Spirit in You
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Another key component of maintaining healthy self-care is staying connected to God and attentive to God’s spirit. We stay connected to God with prayer, devotion, and studying God’s word. God’s spirit empowers, uplifts, and strengthens us to live out our God-given purposes. To stay filled and renewed, we realize that we cannot do anything apart from God. During our devotional time with God, God will give us direction and reveal the people, tools, and resources that we need to move forward.
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5. Surrender to God’s Sweet Rest
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Jesus wants us to come to Him to find rest and be renewed. To receive God’s sweet rest, we have to practice the act of surrender. When we continue to labor and serve without being filled, resentment can set in and we can become disconnected from the joy of serving. Surrendering ourselves to God is not a sign of weakness, but the best self-care gift we can give ourselves. In times when you may feel burdened with anxiety, fear, or uncertainty, begin to practice letting go and sharing your burdens with the Lord. God will equip you with all you need to sustain you.
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6. Learn That It’s Ok to Have Limits
“For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function.” (Romans 12:4)
Learning how to set boundaries and recognizing our human limitations is important to maintaining a healthy self-care practice. Each person in the body of Christ has unique gifts and can all be used to assist in accomplishing what we are called to do. Knowing when to delegate and operating within our own strengths is a valuable way to practice self-care. When I try to do everything myself and don’t ask for help when needed, I become weary, overwhelmed, and easily frustrated. When I ask for help from others and utilize the resources that God has placed around me, I am more at peace. As you serve in your God-given calling, I invite you to ask for help and use the resources God has placed around you. When we are intentional about seeking God for guidance, trusting Him to provide all our needs, we can receive more peace.
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7. Steward Your Health and Resources
“Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:4)
God values self-care and wants us to be good stewards of our health and well-being. To strengthen our self-care and live a more content life, it is essential that we continue to prioritize our commitment to spending time with God and surrendering our anxieties in prayer. As we give more focused attention to our personal self-care, we will begin to trust God more and feel stronger to achieve God’s purposes.
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8. Renew Your Mind and Release Burdens
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test what God’s will is; his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Our minds are consumed with so many things which often affect our physical and emotional health as well. God wants us to renew our minds daily by reading God’s word, giving thanks to God, and releasing our burdens over to Him. When our minds are renewed and strengthened, less stress occurs, allowing for stronger mental clarity, physical and emotional balance. Today, I invite you to seek God, allowing Him to renew your mind daily.
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9. Rely on God to Fill You with Strength
“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)
During seasons where I have experienced restlessness or frustration, it is because I have been operating within my own strength and trying to figure “it” out by myself. When I consistently began to surrender all my cares over to God and let God take full control, I slept better, stressed less, and was strengthened. I was reassured that God will provide all that I needed, and He will do the same for you. Let God be your ultimate fulfillment as you serve Him.
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10. Know What Brings You Joy
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)
We are plagued with daily issues that often weigh us down and stifle our joy. A strong self-care practice is laughter and making time for things that bring you joy and speak life for your spirit. While there are many things that can weigh us down, I invite you to be intentional about incorporating practices that renew and restore your soul.
As you move forward serving in the areas God has called you to, renew your commitment to prioritizing self-care, surrendering your anxieties to God, and staying connected to God for renewed strength, energy, and direction.
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Originally published Wednesday, 19 August 2020.
