Occasionally, we still encounter some leaders who think self-care is a dressed-up word for selfishness. A while back one of our clients asked me, “what about Jesus’ call to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow him?” I responded back with this: “Denying yourself in this context has to do with obedience and following, even when it’s hard or confusing. It has to do with Jesus being the boss of your life. It has nothing to do with self-loathing or ignoring the limitations He created us humans with.”
Here are today’s show notes:
Three things to know about self-care:
- Self-care is not selfishness . . . selfishness is not self-care
- Matthew 22:36-39: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- 39 – “as” – Greek connector word “ws” – omega, sigma – “in the same manner as.”
- Acts 20: 28 “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” The phrase – “Keep watch” – “to attend to, to pay attention to, to devote thought and effort to”
- Selfishness emerges when we believe the entire universe revolves around us. Self-care happens when we intentionally nourish ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally. We cannot give what we do not have!
- Matthew 22:36-39: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Self-care is not either/or . . . it’s both/and.
- Philippians 2:4: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Self-care yourself means caring about others while at the same time caring for yourself. It’s not an either/or proposition—it’s both/and.
- Self-care is about longevity and sustainability
- How does it honor God if you burn out?
- How can you truly be of help to others if you’re drowning under the waves of major depression?
- How can you counsel others when you’re so fatigued you can’t make your own decisions?
- God has called us to a marathon, not a sprint.
Some have confused self-care with getting everything we want. It’s more about getting everything we need so we can fulfill God’s purpose in our life.
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