Being Kind to Ourselves
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself. 1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT
Insight
As Christ followers, we are called to leverage our lives for the good of those around us. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was clear: our lives are best lived when we dedicate ourselves to serving others. We were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). It follows, then, that the things that most satisfy His heart will also satisfy our hearts. God finds His greatest joy in sacrificing Himself for us. If we are looking for true joy in this life, we ought to live in service to others.
But oftentimes, despite our best efforts, we don’t feel very helpful. We don’t always get to see the benefits that come from the sacrifices we make. We try our hardest to love those around us… but it’s easy to feel as though we aren’t making any real difference in the lives of others. We can grow tired of doing good when we think our efforts are fruitless.
Other times, we don’t feel we have the time, energy, or emotional capacity to serve others. When our mental health is on the rocks, it can take all we have to simply make it through the day. Sometimes, surviving is the best we can do. There are seasons of life when we come to the end of ourselves—when we are in so much pain that we cannot see beyond our own hurt. In these seasons, we often direct all our energy toward caring for ourselves, rather than our communities. We feel selfish as a result.
But here’s the reality: by simply existing, we are serving others. We all carry the Spirit of the Living God within us. By merely staying alive, we add a bit of God’s goodness to the world. In our smallest interactions with others, we make a difference. Though we may not realize it, our lives are being leveraged for God’s good purposes every day. Without us having to even lift a finger, God uses our existence to impact and uplift others. He is that mighty—He can bless others through us, without us even being aware that we are being a blessing. We might not feel helpful. But by fighting to live another day, we are serving those who love us and care for us. Despite the lies the enemy might tell us, there are always people who want (and need) us in their lives.
By preserving our own lives and caring for ourselves, we extend our potential to serve others for years to come. Jesus’ greatest commandment is for us to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 20:30-31). Within this commandment lies the implication that we love ourselves, too. If we do not care for ourselves, we cannot properly care for others. When we are unhealthy, physically and/or emotionally, we are handicapped in our ability to love others. We must treat ourselves with the utmost respect. After all, we are temples for the Holy Spirit. We must remember that hurting ourselves doesn’t just hurt us. To live out our true purpose—to love God’s children—we have to be kind to our souls, bodies, and minds.
Reflection
Have you ever viewed self-care as an act of service to others? Or, do you view self-love as selfish?
Prayer
Abba, thank you for putting Your spirit within me. Thank you for using my life to bless others, even in small ways I don’t see or recognize. Help me to live this day to the best of my ability, trusting that You will use me, even in my weakness. When I feel I have nothing left to give to those around me, You are still moving in and through me. Lord, I have faith in Your power to use my life for good, even though the liar often tells me that my presence doesn’t make a difference in the world. Help me to see myself as valuable to Your kingdom and mission, even if all I do today is survive. Empower me to care for myself so that I can serve others well for the rest of my days. In Your Holy Name, amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.