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3 John 1:1-4
‘Self-care’ can be a confusing topic in Christian circles. We often assume that as Christians we are supposed to put others’ needs ahead of our own. But the Bible doesn’t tell us to neglect ourselves to meet others’ needs. Quite the opposite is true. If you neglect taking care of yourself, you actually impede your ability to help others.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV) “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek just their own good, but also the good of others.
Self-care is not indulging oneself in the sense that many in today’s culture joke about. It is not vegging in front of the TV or spending large amounts of money on your physical appearance, or eating all your favorite junk food. These things in moderation are not bad. The cross over into selfishness when they consume you to the point of neglecting others. Self-care is actually all about doing the things that will help you be in better health—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
3 John 1:1-4 (NIV) The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
John was excited to hear that his friend Gaius was following him in the truth of Jesus Christ. Not only the spiritual health is exclaimed, but he’s praying for physical health and that things would go well for his friend. So What does self-care look like?
Eating right and exercising… Yep I said it – as much as I don’t like to, exercising moderately is important. We see the Bible tells us our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God is living in this being here and we should take care of it, the best that we can, which means eat right and exercise.
Take time for yourself. This is important, especially as you are ministering to others. Take time for you with the Father, Jesus was our perfect example of this. The Gospels repeatedly talk about Jesus going up the mountain to pray alone. This gives you time and space to connect, time and space to unwind and process with God the Father.
Luke 5:16 (NIV) But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
But it doesn’t always need to be about spending time alone with God. He created us to be in communion with other people and sometimes we just need to enjoy the fellowship of believers.
Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 (NIV) What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Self-care is not selfishness, there are things we can do that truly fills our souls and the souls around us.