Day 3: Soul-Care

There is this phrase that has been trending lately called "self-care". Now please don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself. As a Christian, your body is the temple of God, and you, your life is a gift from God that you should steward well, keep clean, exercise, feed healthy food to, give rest to, and simply take care of. But in today's culture and society, we have turned "self-care" into this life motto that allows us to think it's okay to drop outrageous amounts of money on material items and eat 2 dozen donuts because "you deserve it".

Self-care has morphed into over-indulgence, materialism, and gluttony and has lacked to see that in overdoing it, you are not taking care of yourself at all, you are actually hurting yourself.

All this to say, we have lost sight of what we should care about the most. The world promotes this self-care that isn't truly self-care at all, and as we have pursued this new trend we have lost sight of soul-care. I'm not gonna lie... There are plenty of days when I have come home from a long day of work, school, and exercise, grumpy and sleepy, and instead of going straight to spending time in God's presence to be filled and replenished, I have just wanted to eat too much, look at clothes online, and scroll through social media for extensive amounts of time, before finally crashing. But if I go straight to whatever my flesh wants, if I fail to tend to my core, my soul, then I am not doing myself or anyone else a favor.

While worrying about these physical bodies that will pass away, we have lost sight of our spiritual, ever-lasting bodies: our souls.

Now, don't think I'm getting into some new-aged mumbo jumbo cause I'm not. When I say soul-care, I mean going to the One who created your soul, spending time with Him so He can mend, heal, restore, fill, strengthen and love on your soul.

If we want true rest, true restoration and wholeness, then we must go to the place where our souls are filled with something greater than ourselves. It is in the secret place of just you and Jesus that He fills you with His Holy Spirit so you can live in the fullness of His joy, peace, comfort, purpose, courage, calling, life, freedom, love.

And can a self-care dose of sweet treats, bath bombs, and pricey, cheaply-made clothing give you any of those everlasting, Heavenly things? No. Not even close.

Again, there is nothing wrong with taking care of your body. You should. You don't have to totally and completely deprive yourself. God gave taste buds, personal style, sleep, etc. for a reason. I'll be the first to admit that I love me a good sweaty workout and healthy foods as well as a big ole gooey cinnamon bun (you know the one I'm talking about, it's at Panera, you're thinking about it now, stop it), buying myself flowers, face masks, and cute clothes. I love taking care of the body I have been blessed with and also letting myself live a little every now and then.

But the issue is when we turn to these fading things of the world for healing and rest instead of running to our Heavenly Father for what truly makes us whole.

So before you go on your way this morning or before you go to sleep to rest up for a brand- spankin' new day tomorrow, take some time to tend to that hungry soul of yours. Spend time with the only One that can give you what you are searching for, what your soul really craves, needs, and desires. God wants to fill you with His spirit today and every day, take time to rest in His goodness, presence, and love.

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

"The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8

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Cami