Today on the blog, we’re going to look at why it’s not only okay to practice self-care, but that it’s essential to wholeness and wellness. It’s been about a month, at least for my family, of sheltering in place. The first week I was numb, which gave way to panic, then acceptance, and finally some form of adaptation to whatever new normal this is. How about you? Sound about right?

As I’ve been scrolling through social media feeds of friends, I see a sentiment growing. Increasing overwhelm, discouragement, and burnout. I hear voices declaring sadness because they feel depleted, empty, and stuck. Can we get real honest? At this moment, at this time, can we agree that these feelings are not unfamiliar?

Do me a favor? Just take a minute and breathe.

No matter what is happening in your world at this moment, there is an important truth you need to tuck into your heart. Are you ready?

You are dearly loved by God, who pursues you relentlessly. The One who created you, calls you by name to come and to know Him. Jesus brings salvation, and that truth changes everything, even global pandemics.

Honestly, I believe that some of the issues we are all grappling with are not new because of these circumstances, but they have definitely been exposed by the context of these unprecedented days. So, we’re going to talk about the practice of self-care, and why it’s such an essential priority not just for today, but for always.

I believe that self-care is often misunderstood, because of our distorted assumptions about sacrifice, surrender, and service. Self-care is an essential component in our relationship with God because this is how we nurture the soul and open the heart toward the Father.

 

Embracing Identity

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. John 3:30

It’s true, God is Almighty and there is none like Him. He is the first and the last and the only one who is worthy of all the praise and all of the honor. Yes, He must become greater, but we need to keep this truth pure and undistorted.

You and I were created by God, for God. He didn’t need us, He chose us. Designed in His very image our completeness is found in Him. So, the part of us that must decrease is the false self; the self-serving part. Any attitude or belief that is directed by pride and ego needs to bow at the throne of God, but surrender is about yielding, not killing.

Listen, Jesus already nailed sin to the tree. Salvation leads us to new life, a life revived by God Himself. He has set His seal of love over His sons and daughters, and as we trust and believe Him, transformation occurs from the inside out. God prunes. He restores, renews, and revives so that our lives might produce something beautiful and good.

You were created with purpose and destiny. Everything about your personality, the way you are wired, how you perceive, it all matters and it’s all valuable. Surrendering yourself to the LORD isn’t about killing all that, it’s about aligning it with the will of the Father.

Do you hear me? Your life is not a write-off. You are a genius creation of God, Most High. Not perfect, yet, but definitely in process. Embracing your identity is a foundational part of walking in freedom and healing because that acceptance is how you agree with God.

Why practice self-care?

I believe that we all need to practice self-care because it is a powerful way to worship the LORD. Now, I know how weird that can sound, because worship is always, always, always, directed to God, and self-care is about caring for ourselves. I get it. And to be clear, just like any other spiritual discipline, self-care can become hijacked by the enemy.

We practice self-care because it’s both foundational and formational. You and I were designed to be in a relationship with the Father. Yes, He is God and we are not, but this relationship is interactive. You do know that He delights in you, right?

He cares about how you are. What you think and how you feel matters and because of the cross, you get access to all of who He is. God is your portion, provision for every moment, every encounter, every experience–all of it.

Self-care is how we safeguard the heart. Tending the soul is an act of worship because this is how we honor the work of the LORD. Caring for the bodies we have been given is about stewardship and gratitude.

Overwhelm, discouragement, fear, anxiety, fatigue, sickness, are all things we will experience from time to time and when they show up, we need to pay attention. They are indicators that can alert our souls that our soul needs some care.

 

 

 

A self-care evaluation

There are many ways to practice self-care, but the whole point of this discipline is about opening ourselves to the LORD. Tending the soul is essential so that we can ruthlessly eliminate the issues of distraction in every aspect of our lives.

It’s always good to start with a little self-evaluation and there are four categories to consider: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Take a minute and rate each area of your life on a scale of 0-5.

What do you see? What’s high and what’s low? Are there any areas that are running on fumes?

Six years ago, my Father passed away, suddenly on New Year’s Day. Going into Christmas I was in good shape, but by the time we had walked through the funeral my tanks were depleted. Over two weeks, I used up every reserve I had in my physical, mental, and emotional tanks. I was coasting on what was in my spiritual tank, but I knew it wouldn’t take me far. It took months to fill those tanks up again.

It’s difficult to relate healthfully toward anyone, let alone the LORD when the soul in that kind of state. Have you ever been there? In all that we are dealing with during this pandemic, I sense many of us are battling through the crisis, with little thought about how to tend the soul.

Do yourself a favor and take some time to check in on how your soul is. Evaluate how you are physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Meet with the LORD in this process. Confess where you need to confess, surrender what you need to surrender, and then allow Him to direct your next steps. This is a good place to start.

How to practice self-care

We are all in different places as we practice self-care, so keep that in mind and be kind to yourself. This discipline will be different for each of us, and it won’t stay the same for every season. Self-care practices will be organic and fluid just as our lives are, which means they will need to be flexible.

Self-care can quickly become about self-improvement, but that’s not the goal here. When we practice self-care, we are tending to all the areas of our lives that intersect in the soul. It’s about making and maintaining those places for the LORD.

Go back to your evaluation of the soul. It’s usually easiest to start with the area you are struggling the most, but let me just warn you, it’s not always black and white. Let me explain…

So, the summer after my father died, I struggled with fatigue. It was bad enough that I was starting to worry that I might be dealing with adrenal fatigue. Can I tell you? Adrenal fatigue is no joke and it takes a long time to achieve recovery.

Thankfully, that was not the case. As it turns out, I was dealing with mental fatigue. The doctor told me I needed to rest my brain, which certainly sounds simple enough, but it wasn’t. Putting my head to the pillow wasn’t restful, because my mind couldn’t shut off.

To practice self-care in this situation, my doctor told me to take a walk, paint a picture, or read a book, whatever would give my mind a break. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

Making self-care a priority

To practice self-care is an act of worship because it’s about positioning ourselves before the LORD. It’s like the hospitality of inviting a friend for dinner, setting the table, preparing the meal, and serving them with love and attention.

Clearing the distractions and maintaining the inner spaces of my soul are critical for wholeness and wellness. This is the reason why the airline safety guide tells us to put our oxygen mask on first. You and I are not useful to anyone, least of all ourselves when neglecting our personal care.

That adage, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy,” speaks to this issue. Self-care helps to maintain the inner workings of our inner selves. We need clear spaces to see and hear the voice of the LORD. And just because we busy ourselves doing good things doesn’t mean all is well.

One of my mantras is, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Learning how to say no is just as important as learning how to say yes at the right time. Self-care evaluates the soul, listens to the voice of the LORD, and determines all the whats accordingly.

 

 

 

Ideas of self-care…

• Setting a regular routine for sleeping and waking
• Exercise routine
• Eating at regular intervals
• Walking with a friend or walking alone
• Projects
• Quiet time
• Playing music
• Read a book
• Gardening
• Photography
• Creative projects
• Work projects (because sometimes you need the methodical routine to help work out the stress…like exercise can do)
• Cooking
• Bubble baths
• Hiking
• Campling
• Silent Retreats
• Pampering/treating yourself (Right before my husband went through his stemcell treatment we embarked on a huge painting project. Every wall on the main floor is a soft happy yellow because he didn’t want to spend recovery surrounded by grey walls).

There is so much room for diversity and creativity in the way we care for our souls. But, we also need to remember to be kind to ourselves. Be patient when you are unable to care for yourself the way you want. Allow the LORD to lead you in this process because He’s the one doing all the heavy lifting.

He sees the deep wounds and knows exactly how to get into just the right place to bring about healing, but you and me? We have to learn to get out of the way and yield. Self-care becomes an act of worship as we yield ourselves to the will and purposes of God, by actively trusting Him. This is what it looks like to lay ourselves out before the LORD and the hold that position.

When we practice self-care, we safeguard the heart and open ourselves to the fullness of God. It’s a discipline and it takes effort, but oh how it yields goodness.

I hope you found this helpful today and I want to invite you to stick around for more!

Embracing simplicity –10 habits that cultivate wholeness

Re-Setting the rhythms that support wholeness

Identity in Christ. What it means to be chosen, called by name, and loved beyond measure

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