Rest—Self Care

By John Moore, LCMHC

“So He often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Luke 5.16

The usual training plan for athletes calls for the occasional “off” day. These days are scheduled in advance to allow the athlete to rehabilitate sore muscles and to recover mentally from the toll steady exertion has on body. Much like athletes, Christians need time to recover.

Quite a few of the persons that I see in my counseling practice are suffering from burn-out as a result of being overwhelmed with “to-do” lists, shuffling children to various practices, work obligations, and generally neglecting their own needs while catering to the needs of others. One of the first aspects of life to suffer from busyness is your relationship with God. Neglecting your spiritual needs may eventually lead to anxiety, anger, and bitterness.

One of the best ways to ensure you are performing at your highest level is to take a Sabbath day to cultivate your relationship with Jesus and to do something you enjoy like hiking or reading. After all, God ordered you to “remember the Sabbath.” The mental health field refers to this time away as self-care. 

The Bible states Jesus frequently took time away from people and other distractions to be present with his Father. Luke wrote, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray.” As a divine human being, Jesus needed “me time,” he needed to get away to focus on hearing God’s voice and direction. Jesus used his time alone to refocus and process the demands of ministry. He taught the disciples to pray in the wilderness [Luke 11.1-4], he grieved in the wilderness [Matthew 14.13], and ultimately he retreated to prepare for his own betrayal and death [Mark 14.32].

Like an athlete hones their craft through dedication and practice, so too are we to hone our relationship with Christ; we do this by being still, reflecting, and spending time in solitude as Jesus did. God used solitude to speak to and guide Jesus. This week, set aside some time to spend with your creator in solitude, away from distractions, and allow him to speak to you.