Taking Care of YOU

One of the greatest challenges for people who are servants, givers, and followers of Christ is to take care of themselves.  When we constantly give, we forget we must have something from which to give.  When we are not taking care of ourselves, we run down, get exhausted, and may even find ourselves becoming angry or resentful.  We don’t mean to be this way.  It isn’t that we want to feel these things.  It simply happens because we have taken all of our energy and given it away.  And the one person we forget in it all is ourselves.  We forget to take care of us.  Why do we do this?

When you are naturally a giver, it can feel selfish to take care of yourself.  It can be hard to justify taking some time to do the right things for you.  It can feel as if we are wasting time.  But that is actually the opposite of the truth.  We are not God (that seems obvious).  And because we are not God, we are not made to be everything for everybody.  We are not Creator.  We are not the ultimate fixer.  We are God’s children and we are the created.  And we need to take care of what God has given us.  We must take care of us.  What does that look like?

For so many, that is a foreign concept.  When we go, go, go, we can put our needs on the back burner.  But the flames will catch us.  They will burn us out.  We will eventually crash and become good to no one, not even ourselves.  We must catch it before it gets to that point (or start from scratch if you are already there).  This isn’t a “one and done” type of solution.  You don’t take one day to take care of yourself and expect that to take care of everything for the next month or year.  This should be part of our regular practice every single day – in some way, shape or form.  Here are some thoughts:

-How are you taking care of your body?  What are you eating?  Are you exercising and taking care of this beautiful creation God has made?  Are you being a good steward of the gift of your body?  Are you considering what you are putting into you daily?

-How are you taking care of your mind?  Are you taking a few minutes to simply breathe?  What or who are you listening?  Are you listening to the truths of God or the opinions of others?  Are you putting good things in (through your eyes and ears)?  Consider what you are watching.

-How are you taking care of your spirit?  Are you taking the time to read and meditate on God’s Word?  Are you listening to what God is trying to tell you?  He isn’t expecting you to be God.  He is expecting you to be the best YOU.  You won’t know who you are in God if you aren’t reading what he has for you.  A little each day can feed the soul.  

What are you doing for you today?  How can you take better care of you THIS day so you can love God and love others with your everything?  This is the day the Lord has made, may we rejoice and be glad in it!

Matthew 22:37-39 (NOTE the yourself in this)

³⁷ He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’