Good morning!
I'm back! I missed you last Saturday, but as it turns out, life gave me a pretty good lesson in the very series I had just started. I was on our girls' trip, trying to enjoy a few days at the beach while also dealing with a splitting headache and what was believed to be shingles. I had plans for that trip. I wanted to be out enjoying the beach, doing all the things we had planned and making the most of our time away. But my body had some other ideas.
There were times I had to go back to the room, get out of the heat, rest and accept that I simply wasn't going to do everything I wanted to do. And apparently, I didn't completely learn the lesson, because I came home and jumped right back in!
In Part 1 of Self-Care Isn't Selfish, we talked about how easy it is to keep putting ourselves at the bottom of the list, promising we'll rest or take care of ourselves after everything else is done. And we decided there is just one problem with that: everything else is never done.
This week proved that point all over again. I came back to work after a few days off, and you know how that goes. There was already plenty waiting for me, and then things popped up that I wasn't expecting. On top of that, I had appointments or obligations every single evening this week. By yesterday, I was dragging.
There was a cruise-in in town, and I really wanted to at least make an appearance and get supper there to support it. So we went, walked around and looked at the cars, grabbed something to eat—and then I drew the line. I went home.
Now, that wasn't my original plan. My plan was to come home and clean a couple of rooms because we're remodeling my office, and I wanted everything ready so I could get the painting finished today. My to-do list said, Keep going. My body said, “Stop.” And for once, I listened. I was asleep within an hour. Considering the week before, maybe I should have been listening a little sooner!
Our Bodies Talk to Us
We tend to think caring for our bodies means eating better, exercising more, losing weight, drinking enough water—all of those things we know we're “supposed” to do. And yes, those things matter. But sometimes caring for our bodies is much simpler: pay attention to what your body is telling you.
I could have pushed through last night. I've done it plenty of times before. I could have cleaned those rooms. I could have told myself, It's Friday night. You can sleep in tomorrow. Just get it done. But would getting two more rooms cleaned really have been worth ignoring what my body was very clearly telling me? Probably not.
Psalm 139:14 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And 1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
We often hear that verse when we're talking about what we shouldn't do to our bodies. But what if we also thought about it in terms of how we care for our bodies? If something has been entrusted to us by God, shouldn't we take care of it?
Caring Doesn't Mean Perfecting
I think this distinction is important, especially when we're talking about our bodies. Caring for your body is not the same thing as trying to perfect your body. This isn't about the number on the scale. It isn't about fitting into a certain size. It isn't about having a perfect exercise routine or never eating dessert again. God isn't asking us to create perfect bodies. He's asking us to care for the ones we have.
For one person, caring for their body today might mean getting up and taking a walk. For somebody else, it might mean doing exactly what I did last night—going home and going to bed. Sometimes caring for our bodies means pushing ourselves a little. Sometimes it means giving ourselves permission to stop. Wisdom is learning the difference.
We Can't Keep Ignoring the Warning Lights
Think about how quickly we respond when a warning light comes on in our car. We know that little light is telling us something needs attention. We may not know exactly what's wrong yet, but we know ignoring it indefinitely probably isn't a great idea.
Our bodies give us warning lights too. Exhaustion. Pain. Headaches. Stress. Trouble sleeping. Feeling run-down. Sometimes it's simply that overwhelming feeling of I cannot do one more thing today. And yet, how often do we respond with, Just get through today. I'll rest this weekend. I'll make that appointment later. I'll eat when I get finished. I can push through.
Sometimes we do have to push through, but we weren't designed to live there.
In Part 1, we looked at Mark 6:31, when Jesus told His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” They were busy. People needed them. There was still work to be done. And yet, Jesus told them to rest. Our physical limitations aren't character flaws. They're part of being human.
What Does Your Body Need From You?
In Part 1, I asked three questions: What does my body need? What does my mind need? What does my soul need? This week, let's sit with that first one.
What does your body need from you right now? Not six months from now. Not after you lose weight. Not when work settles down. Not when the house is clean. Not Monday. Today.
Maybe your body needs sleep. Maybe it needs movement. Maybe it needs more water or better nourishment. Maybe it needs you to make the doctor's appointment you've been putting off. Maybe it needs some fresh air. Maybe it needs you to stop criticizing it every time you look in the mirror. Or maybe it just needs you to listen when it says, “That's enough for today.”
I'm glad I finally listened last night. The rooms still need cleaned. The office still needs painted. There is still work to do today. But this morning, I'm facing it after a good night's sleep instead of starting the day already completely depleted. And maybe that's the lesson I'm learning: Rest isn't always what we do when the work is finished. Sometimes rest is what allows us to continue the work God has given us to do.
One Small Act of Care
Just like in Part 1, I'm not giving you a giant self-improvement checklist. I don't want self-care to become one more thing we're failing at. Instead, choose one small way to care for your body this week.
Go to bed a little earlier. Take the walk. Drink the water. Make the appointment. Eat something nourishing. Stretch for five minutes. Sit down when you're tired. Or maybe, when your body finally says stop, listen to it.
Not because you're lazy or because the things on your list don't matter, but because God gave you this body to carry you through the life He has given you. Caring for it isn't selfish. It's stewardship.
So this week, instead of only asking, “What do I need to get done today?” maybe we should also ask, “What does the body God entrusted to me need today?”
And then be willing to listen to the answer.
Next week: Self-Care Isn’t Selfish — Caring for Your Mind
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