Although I’d always heard the term “self-care,” I hadn’t really given much thought to it until recently when a friend, who has remained close to me and known the details of my immense trials over the past year, said to me,
“You must be using some great self-care keeping it together through all these trials! You should share them with everyone!”
I laughed inside because there is no way I would consider myself to be “keeping it together,” because I knew it was ALL God.
But, he had a valid point. God WAS doing far more than keeping it all together and doing miracle upon miracle through this fiery trial. And all the while, I have been more full of joy, peace, and satisfaction than I have ever been in my entire life. God laid it on my heart to quantify this experience for others because we all have the common experience of being plagued by trouble!
So here we are!
I began by doing a little research into this thing called “self-care.” While it appears that self-care is defined in a myriad of ways—generally, I’d sum up the secular definition as “being aware of our own limitations and needs in order to ensure a healthy balance of our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.” I even discovered that there is an International Foundation on Self-care which identifies seven pillars of self-care—mental, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, recreational, and social.
And with anxiety on the rise, it’s no wonder there is such a strong movement afoot to promote self-care.
“According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, about a third of adults overall (32.3%) reported anxiety and depression symptoms in 2023. Nearly half of these adults (49.9%) were between the ages of 18 and 24, 38% were between the ages of 25 and 49, 29.3% were between 50 and 64 and 20.1% were 65+.”
Proponents of self-care advocate better personal habits with strategies like daily exercise, better diet, developing a hobby, reading, socializing, pampering, meditation, etc. While I have definitely subscribed to a lifetime of engaging in many of the healthy habits listed above—I couldn’t identify any one thing listed as being THE pivotal source of self-care which has consistently given me the greatest relief from anxiety—especially amidst the toughest times of life.
It wasn’t until about 12 years ago that I discovered the greatest method for self-care!”
And—it wasn’t having more money, success, vacations, spa time, friends, or possessions—that gave me relief from anxiety. The answer was in God’s Word and in a relationship with Him. But this shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me. History has proven the efficacy of God’s ways. For several millennia, God has given us remarkable insight into the behavior which promotes a healthy mind, soul, body, and spirit and results in a sustainable and satisfying sense of peace.
Biblical self-care is definitely a thing—it is described as “rest,” but it’s not just bodily rest—it’s much deeper than that because it’s GOD’s supernatural rest!
In the book of Genesis, God set the standard for the critical role of rest—for ALL of Creation when—He rested on the seventh day of Creation. We are created in His image and thus, it makes sense that we also need rest. In the late 1300’s B.C, at the time of Moses, God reinforced this instruction for the care of our bodies and minds. In fact, throughout scripture, it is evident that God promotes rest as such a critical necessity that He, in fact, commanded it.
“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you SHALL rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.”
Exodus 34:21
Jesus also regularly practiced times of rest, for example, when he withdrew to pray. (Luke 5:16) In fact, Jesus, amidst the intensity of His ministry, told the apostles,
“Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
Mark 6:30-32
Jesus then took them in a boat to a deserted place so they could have time away to rest. Hebrews chapters 4 and 5 provide a brilliant discourse on how born again believers are enabled to live in rest amidst the tumult of life. We are commanded to…
“be DILIGENT to enter that rest.”
Hebrews 4:11
If we are commanded to be DILIGENTLY pursuing God’s rest, it begs the question: What does this very special “rest” of God look like? Is God strictly talking about rest for our physical body and mind which involves down time or sleep? In examining the life of Jesus and the heroes of faith—it’s clear that the Bible is NOT talking about more leisure time or more time snoozing. The early Christians didn’t live in opulence or royalty. Then there are the great words of Jesus, who had no home, no money, no power, no earthly resources, and yet made a stunning promise to give us rest:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Ah, my friend, it is quite evident that the “rest” Jesus offers us is something deeper than physical rest. Amidst the chaos of life, God provides us with supernatural self-care to center our soul and spirit in the presence of our unchanging Savior. In Him, we gain the satisfied and peaceful perspective of one who inherits the earth.
God offers us supernatural rest which transcends earthly circumstances.
So, how do we find this “rest” we are supposed to be diligently seeking? We will dig into this topic in tomorrow’s devotional. God has the most amazing plan for our “self-care” and it encompasses our entire self—body, soul, spirit. He designed us in His image and for HIS glory. When we follow His methods for self-care, we find real peace and satisfaction.
