A little while ago, I was searching for some blogs to add to my reading list. I came upon a blog post with a self care mantra listed. I can’t remember what blog it was or I’d paste the whole thing here, but it was very much in line with the whole self care movement.
You know:
I am the best thing for myself.
I am beautiful.
I am strong.
I can do anything.
I will follow my heart because it’s always right.
But is that biblical?
So the other day I was shopping for some more pages to add to my Happy Planner.* I grabbed the pack that had a bright, happy yellow flower on the front because hey I love yellow and I love cheerfulness so WHY NOT.
Later, I found out that it was a self care pack. A lot of it is really good (with spaces to fill out how I was kinder to people and what I’m thankful for) but there were also your typical “I can do anything” or “I appreciate myself” spots or even a “write yourself a love letter” part.
*THESE THINGS ARE AMAZING BTW YOU NEED ONE IN YOUR LIFE OKAY BYE**
**I bought a whole six-month pack, only to begin cleaning my room . . . and FIND SIX MORE MONTHS FOR JULY THROUGH DECEMBER 2018 THAT I’D JUST FORGOTTEN ABOUT because I have the memory of a gnat in peanut butter.
Is the self care movement okay for a Christian to be a part of?
A friend wrote me the other day because I’d posted about this on Facebook. She pointed out that self care isn’t the problem; our bodies are the temple of God, so we’re supposed to take care of ourselves. It’s actually the definition of the current self care movement that is the problem.
It’s because the movement isn’t so much self care as it is self love.
Some of the things the mantra I found on that blog I mentioned at the beginning of this post include:
- I love myself.
- I am enough.
- I trust in my will.
- All that I seek is in myself.
- Every decision I make is the right one for me.
- Etc.
I could debate each one of those points, but I’ll spare you. I thought an interesting exercise would be to edit this lady’s mantra to be a Christian mantra. To be more truth than fluff and self love. So here are the fifteen points that I came up with in response to her fifteen. (I hope she doesn’t mind she inspired me!)
So, yes. If you’re defining self care as
- taking care of my body because God commands me to
- accepting the way God has made me and the path He’s leading me on for my life
- understanding that I am dust, incapable of taking care of myself: but God is enough for me
Then I’m all for the self care movement! But consider the self care movement that is more popular:
- Meditating for long periods of time (we should be meditating on the Bible)
- Reassuring ourselves of our value (yes, we are very precious, but we are also very sinful; only through being a Christian can we realize our true value)
- Writing lists of reasons we love ourselves (perhaps try a list of ways you’ve been selfish today instead)
- Being obsessed with diet and looks
There is a balance to everything in life. Self care is important, but to a certain extent. Self love . . . we’re getting into dangerous waters there.
