Is Self-Care Biblical?

Is Self-Care Biblical?

Self-care is when a person participates in certain activities that helps them take care of their personal health and wellbeing. It is an important thing that we should all be doing. We need to make sure that we take care of ourselves, and we look after our health and wellness. 

Is Self-Care Important?

Self-care is important because you are looking after yourself. You are God’s creation; you are a temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells in (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We need to look after ourselves and make sure that everything that we do is for His glory. We should never do anything to harm God’s temple. 

It is something that we should all be incorporating into our lives in order to fill up our cups first. After all, you cannot fill an empty cup from another. How are you to expect to help others if you are not helping yourself first? You cannot run on empty. Eventually you will burn out. 

Christians Can Seem Put Off By “Self-Care”

I truly believe that self-care is important and necessary, especially as Christians. However, not everyone is going to agree with me on this. Christians can be put off by the concept of “self-care” because they might think that it is part of the new age moment, and/or is self-centered. Not everyone will agree that it is something that God wants us to do in our lives. Before I talk more about my stance on self-care on a biblical note, I want to share with you my self-care story (where I am today because of practicing self-care). 

My Self-Care Story

I am a single Christian mom. When my daughter was first born, all of my time was spent on taking care of her. I was learning everyday how to become a mom, and how to take care of her; I didn’t have the time or motivation or mindset to stop and spend some time on myself too. I did rest when I could, but most of the time I was catching up on chores and other things that needed to be done. I was also recovering from being in an abusive relationship. It took a lot out of me, and so it came to a point where I had a routine established for my daughter and I, and I began this journey of changing my mindset to be able to break free from the trauma of the past, and to focus on the present and the future by having a more positive attitude towards life.

But Then Things Changed

Once I began this journey, it occurred to me that I needed to fill my own cup again; I needed to fill it up first. Soon enough I was in a better state of mind, I was sleeping better, the routine was getting more consistent with my daughter, and I started to spend some time out of the day for myself. As the weeks went on, I started feeling so much better and more refreshed. Now, almost three years later, since my daughter was born, I can happily say that every single day I spend time on taking care of myself, as well as being in such a more positive and vibrant state of mind.

God Became My Centre Focus

All of this is because of Jesus. He helped me heal from my past relationship and allowed me to take care of myself and love myself. He gave me the much needed rest and nourishment my mind, body and soul yearned for. 

Are you a single Christian woman? Check out my recent post where I share my best advice for all single Christian women, here. 

What Is Self-Care Then? Is It Necessary? Is It Biblical?

To me, self-care means spending time out of the day to do things that make you happy, that you love and are passionate about, and will bring you comfort and joy. It is about the little things that will make you feel better, and know that you have taken care of yourself. For example, reading a book, starting a new hobby, learning a new skill, going to the gym or exercising, detoxing from social media, having screen-free time, enjoying a hot cup of coffee before the kids wake up: these are usually some activities that people do for a little self-care. 

Does any of this sound selfish to you though? I don’t think so. It isn’t selfish to look after yourself, or to do things in the day that makes you happy and brings you joy. The difference is that, as Christians, the basis for all that we do is to serve and please God. Never choose to do anything for your own selfish needs or desires (that is in opposition to God). 

Self-Care Is About Refreshing and Renewing Our Mind, Body and Soul

God cares about our personal wellbeing. He sent His one and only begotten son into the world to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins, for the sins of the whole world. He wants us to come to Him and love Him and be saved through His son, Jesus. Through the sacrifice that Jesus made, He took care of our spiritual needs, and found value and worth in the souls of those who were outcasts in society (See Mark 2, 5 and John 4). He gave us forgiveness and grace, and allowed us to be made anew. 

Is Self-Care Biblical For Christian Women?

When practicing self-care, allow God to be the foundation for all that you do. Choose to do things that will allow you to refresh your mind, body and soul. Reading the Bible, studying His word, praying, meditating on the word of God, and preaching unto others is both biblical and great examples of participating in self-care in a Christian way. The basis for doing these things is to please and serve God, whilst also looking after your personal wellbeing. 

In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Through this, it is implied that we are to love ourselves. We are to treat others the same way that we treat ourselves. Self-care can help us to treat ourselves with love. 

In Ephesians 5:25-33, the Bible talks about commanding husbands to love their wives as their own bodies. Those who love their wives, love themselves. Also, to love your wives the same way that Jesus loves the Church. Therefore it is a given that God wants us to love and take care of ourselves, the same way that we should be loving and taking care of others. 

As I said before, the foundation for self-care for Christians is God. Everything that we do in our life is to please and glorify Him. We are made to know and love God. He wants us to grow closer to Him. We have every opportunity to understand who He is, what He expects of us and how we can strengthen our relationship with Him. 

Without God, we are nothing (John 15:5). We would be following the world, and allowing fleshly, worldly desires to fulfill the void. Choosing this path to fill the void is only temporary; but God is eternal. He is the answer to all things. This is why I believe that self-care has a biblical standpoint.

What Do The Scriptures Say?

Let’s take a look at some other scriptures that imply taking care of yourself. 

1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are”.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”.

Our body is a temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells in. As such, we need to be mindful of everything that we do. This is why practicing self-care allows us to properly treat ourselves with love and kindness and to allow everything that we do to only benefit our health and wellbeing. 

Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”

Paul urges us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, one that is acceptable unto God and to not be conformed to this world. We need to do everything that is good and acceptable, and is the perfect will of God. Presenting our bodies to God is spiritual worship. This takes self-control, when disciplining our bodies (1 Corinthians 9:25-27). In the spirit, run to Jesus for living water, to be fed the bread of life and for Him to nourish our soul. In the flesh, take care of our physical bodies in a useful way ( 1 Timothy 4:8, 5:23), by enjoying exercising and eating healthy to look after our bodies.

1 Kings 19

We are created in the image of God, but we are not God. We are weak and have limits. Therefore we need rest. God gives us rest. Consider the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Elijah had gone through an immense season of ministry and with everything that had been going on, he ran into the wilderness, and begged God to kill him. He was exhausted. How did God respond to this? He saw what Elijah was going through, and chose to act upon his weariness by giving him rest, water and food. He allowed Elijah to restore himself after neglecting basic needs.
Allowing to take care of ourselves, with the help of God, gives us opportunities to rest upon Him, and for Him to give us all that we need to keep going.

We are only human, and we have our limitations. We will go through different trials and tribulations and seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:1-22). God will provide us with all that we need. Allow yourselves to spend time out of the day to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul, with God’s help.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit”.

Self-care with God allows us to be drawn closer to Him. It gives us confidence in Him and His abilities. God brings true peace, love and fulfillment to us on earth. 

Mark 1:35

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed”.

Jesus went alone to pray. He needed time away from His disciples to talk to God. We can do that too. If we need some time alone to talk to God, then do so.

1 Corinthians 10:31

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”.

Pretty self-explanatory. Do everything to glorify God. Allow the foundation for you practicing self-care be to glorify God and nourish your mind, body and soul. 

1 Timothy 5:8

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel”.

Men are to provide for their households. They are to take care of their households first. If we put this into perspective, God wants Christians to put the care and needs of their households first. It is the same as saying to fill up your own cup first. You cannot fill an empty cup from another. How can you help others if you cannot help yourself first? 

What Can We Take From All Of This?

• The ultimate source of nourishment and refreshment is our relationship with God alone. God cares about us; our soul, and our personal wellbeing. Our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit to dwell in. They are sacred and are to be valued.
• We need to put God first in all things no matter what; renew our minds and focus on the good things that come from above. We need to trust God because He is going to give us what we need. Pay close attention to what God wants us to do as we put our faith in Him, follow Him and do His Will on earth.
• Our health and wellness is important and we should treat ourselves the same way that we should be treating others (with love and kindness). Taking time out of the day for yourself is not selfish. As long as God is the basis for your needs, then do what you need to do to fill up your cup. 

What do you think about self-care? Do you agree or disagree that it is biblical? Let me know in the comments below!

If you would like to know more about self-care, then check out these helpful resources here.