A Biblical Perspective on the Importance of Self Care

Before we get started don’t forget to sign up for our news letter so you don’t miss out on any new posts or resources! Click Here to sign up!

Life gets busy. We have people to take care of, responsibilities to maintain, and ministries to serve in. In the thick of it all, it can be very easy to push our own needs aside. But over time, neglecting ourselves will only lead us to neglecting our basic needs making it difficult to complete the simplest tasks.

I recently came across a sermon where a pastor was experiencing such severe burn out that the stress literally caused him to lose a week of memory. He had zero recollection of what occurred during that week. That can be a really scary situation. He has had many sermons since then on burn out, suicide, anxiety, and depression. 

As Christians, we can get so caught up in serving others we forget to take care of ourselves. We start to confuse self neglection with self stewardship. And yet, we forget throughout scripture the importance rest was in the eyes of God. So much so that our Heavenly Father practices to rest Himself. We see it in the creation story and when Christ often snuck away to spend some time alone with His Father. Even looking at the jewish laws and traditions surrounding the sabbath shows how sacred true rest was meant to be. 

We can see what happens when we don’t get our basic needs met in the story of Elijah. In 1 King 19 1-18 we see the importance of rest, self care, and the importance of seeking God in seasons of burn out. In this story, we see the greatest prophet in the Old Testament reaching his breaking point, so much so he felt suicidal. He even prayed out to our Heavenly Father to kill him! But what do we see our Holy Father doing for him instead? He actually sent an angel to make sure he got his basic needs met! 

(Check out my bible study over the story of Elijah to learn more!) 

God expects us to recharge ourselves. Our strength will eventually run out. It’s important that we find ways to recharge our batteries, so we feel energized and excited to serve our Heavenly Father. But self care can be confusing, People often view self care as a luxurious bath with face masks or a massage. Don’t get me wrong, those are wonderful! However, filling up our cup is much deeper than that. Self care can be broken down into three categories – physical, mental, and spiritual. Let’s explore how each has an important role in our overall well being. 

Physical Self Care 

Taking care of yourself physically means making sure you are getting your basic needs met. Oftentimes life gets us in a rush. We start to skip the gym, skip breakfast, forget to prioritize sleep or nutrition. Oftentimes when people come into my office we have to start here. Back at square one, making sure one is creating the best foundation in order to thrive. So let’s break these down even further. 

Exercise 

Physical self care requires moving your body. You don’t have to go crazy in the gym, but it is essential that we find ways that keep our body moving. It can be something as simple as going on a walk, joining a workout group, a sport, or starting a dance class. 

Nutrition 

Your mental health relies so heavily on your diet. In more recent years, numerous studies and books have come out on the significant connection between poor nutrition and poor mental health. It is easy for us to just pick up something through a drive through or throw a tv dinner into the oven. Those are all fine, but only if we have a balance. Our gut is responsible for 95% of the serotonin produced and absorbed in our body! So it’s crucial we make sure it has the tools to thrive!

Sleep 

Poor sleep quality is known to increase the risk of emotional instability, memory problems and an increased risk of mental health conditions.It can be hard to make sleep a priority, especially if you’re already struggling to get good rest or maintain a consistent sleep schedule. However, developing good sleep hygiene is extremely important for one’s physical and mental well being. Explore different ways to develop a healthier sleep pattern, which may even include talking to your provider. 

Relaxation 

I think it is important to notice how God continuously displays moments of rest and relaxation. If our Holy Father needed time to slow down, we cannot think it’s okay to go weeks without rest. It is crucial that we have moments and days where there are no obligations or responsibilities. Relaxing can be as simple as watching your favorite tv show or taking a nice bath. Allowing yourself to slow down and enjoy the beautiful moments you have been blessed with. 

Mental Self Care

Taking care of yourself mentally can range from going to therapy to learning a new hobby. It can be easy for us to push this area to the back burner. Yes you may prioritize getting basic needs met but addressing emotionally difficult situations or spending time learning about yourself may be challenging. So let’s look at a few areas one can improve mental self care. 

Therapy

Now I will not lie, I am a bit biased. Therapy is a great resource for getting some great mental self care. Even more so if you can find a Christian Therapist. Having a safe space to express yourself freely will also allow you the opportunity to learn and grow in your daily life but also intimate relationships. 

Mindfulness-Grounding 

Grounding one’s self doesn’t have to look like the buddhist monks. In fact, it can look like moments of prayer on a walk with the Lord. It can also look like pausing to take a moment of gratitude. Whatever one chooses, the ultimate goal is to slow down one’s mind and body to foster a sense of peace and reduce stress.   

Social Media Detoxing 

It is so easy to find ourselves doom scrolling and getting caught up in the craziness of the world news. Not only are these stories overwhelming at times, but the technology itself is over stimulating. Finding some time to disconnect from technology and connect with nature can be a wonderful way to reset your mental state. 

Setting Boundaries 

Ahhh! Boundaries. The very thing many of us struggle to set with others. However, this is crucial in protecting one’s mental state. Let’s think of it like this. If our Heavenly Father has boundaries for where the water begins and the sand ends, YOU can have boundaries for people in your life. God has boundaries for how we are supposed to operate in our relationship with Him, so have boundaries for those who want a relationship with you. 

Connecting With Others 

15-20 years ago it would have been nothing to go to your next door neighbor and borrow a tool or a cup of sugar. Now in society, we often don’t even know our neighbors’ names. It is easy with the rise of technology and social media to distance ourselves and self isolate. However, it is crucial for our mental well being that we have a community behind us. One of the top factors of an individual doing well in mental health treatment is whether or not they have a support system! Your church, workout group, class mates, club, hobby, etc. are all places where we can find like minded individuals to connect with and lean on during times of hardships. 

Spiritual Self Care

You cannot have a good self care life without including God! Spiritual self care isn’t just checking off some boxes, it should be a way to fill up your cup to get through this life. Having Christ in our lives is the ultimate cheat code to living the most fulfilled life out there! So when we go to take care of ourselves spiritually, we should feel a deeper connection being fostered with our Heavenly Father. Let’s explore a few ways to deepen our spiritual self care habits.

Prayer

Did you know that prayer has actually been shown to improve one’s mental health! It can create a sense of peace and actually reduce stress levels. Prayer looks different for each individual and denomination but is a crucial part of every Christians spiritual health!

Worship 

When we think of worship I often think we view it from a church setting. However, worship can be so much deeper than that. From singing praises and gratitude, to spending our free time serving the Lord, any form of adoration for the Lord is considered worship. 

Scripture Meditation

Meditating on the word of God rejuvenates the soul, especially when studying scripture that you can apply in your current daily life. A study showed that individuals who read their word 4 or more days a week had a significant positive effect on their overall mood and perspective on daily life. 

Check out my scripture study cards here! 

Religious Traditions or Holidays

There is nothing more exciting than getting prepared for a religious tradition or holiday, Let’s take Christmas for example. If you’re crazy like me, you start preparing the moment Halloween is over! Getting excited to help the church with their community pot luck, giving back to the community, and creating beautiful memories with family and friends while reminding the reason for the season. You don’t have to do anything crazy, something as simple as reflecting on the traditions/holidays, and deepening your understanding of our Heavenly Father is a wonderful way to connect with the Lord during these seasons. 

Spiritual Mentor 

It is so crucial that you have someone that you feel is spiritually mature in their walk with the Lord. You want to have someone that you feel comfortable with calling up and asking hard questions. Having a spiritual mentor to lean on is a beautiful way to not only support your spiritual walk but also deepen your understanding of your faith. 

Entertainment 

In 2025, there is everything from TV shows, podcasts, games, events, etc. that we can utilize to deepen our spiritual life. If you feel you are having a hard time connecting spiritually, finding a good tv show or a new book to read can be a wonderful way to practice self care!  

Final Thoughts

Self Care looks vastly different for each individual, but it is important that we slow down and take care of ourselves. If you do not slow down and take care of yourself, your body will slow you down. Anxiety, depression, poor sleep, sickness, autoimmune conditions all start to arise whenever we prioritize the needs of others over ourselves. 

If you liked this article please leave a comment, subscribe to the newsletter, and share with a friend or loved one. Your support helps me keep going!

If you would like to delve even further into the topic of self care, check out my self care work book here! It includes a bible study, work sheets, self care tools, and journal reflections! 

Never forget you are AWESOME! I hope you have the best and most blessed day ever. 

Sierra Stratman MSW LMSW U/S PhD Student at Liberty University