Self-Care that Glorifies God
God has given us this life as a gift.
He bought our lives with the blood of Jesus. God doesn’t make bad business transactions, so we can be assured that our lives are worth as much as the life of Jesus Christ. Our bodies are precious and valuable just like His, and they should be handled, and treated as such. Because God bought us, we do not belong to ourselves, we are not our own. What we have, is simply on loan to us for the time being. It is ours to steward, protect and care for until Jesus’s return.
In this post, we explored the topic of self-care and found that it is less about getting a facial or a massage and more about finding balance and paying attention to what’s going on inside of you. Today I want to take it a step further and add that self-care is not an event, but a lifestyle. An attitude we have, concerning how we go about life and how we take care of this vessel God has entrusted us with. As we wake up, go about our day and engage with other humans, we need to be thinking of how we can take care of what belongs to God. Not just for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of others. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul tells us to do everything to the glory of God. Self-care becomes glorifying to God when our heart posture shifts from “How can I make my life better or easier?” to, “How can I best care for this eternal being that belongs to God?” When that becomes our motivation, I believe we will find true strength for our bodies and our souls. Let’s take a closer look as to why we need to care for God’s precious possession:
God Cares About You:
Infinitely more than you can imagine. Before He created you, He cared about you. He took time to design you and then to create you. You have been delicately woven together. There was no mold, nor was there a standard by which He created you. He only had himself in mind. You are unique, precious and worthy of love and care. He calls you his daughter, beloved and treasured. God does not regret sending His Son to buy you and set you free. You are not a regretful purchase. You are loved, dearly. God cares for you deeply and He takes care of you, generously. So why should you not care for yourself?
Jesus is Coming Back for You:
What you have is on loan to you, and one day the Owner will return to take home what belongs to Him. He will ask you what you have done with what He has entrusted you with. You will have to give an account of how you used or abused this vessel. The good news is that He didn’t leave you to take care of it alone in your own strength. Knowing that living in an unkind world would be difficult, He sent you a Gift to help you take care for His treasured possession. Marking you as His own. Promising that He will return for you.
The Holy Spirit Dwells Within You:
I often ask the Holy Spirit why He lives in me. Why He has stayed, through my willful disobedience, or when I find myself in places I have no business being? Why has He not abandoned me when I have given Him countless opportunities to do so? But the truth is: no one is forcing Him to stay, nor is it because He has nowhere else to go. He wants to live in me, He desires to dwell within me, and to make known His presence to me. The least I can do is live a life that is evident of such an awesome reality. To live with the awareness that I am one with Jesus. I carry His presence goes with me when I sleep and eat and shop and get a facial.
Taking care of yourself is not a burden, nor is it a luxury. It is a necessity. It includes making healthy food choices, spending time with loved ones and believing who God says you are. To live a life of obedience and strive to honor God in all you do. Self-care, is about refreshing our soul in Christ, daily. Hourly, if need be. Taking care of yourself will help you take better care of others. Self-care is not an excuse to be selfish. If done, correctly, it will enable you to effectively pour out what God has poured into you. We can only give of what we have already received.
