How to Take Care Of Yourself
God put us here to serve others. But you cannot serve others if you don't take care of yourself. You can only care for others if you have energy -- spiritual, emotional, and physical energy. And you will only have the energy you need if you take care of yourself -- spiritually, emotionally, and physically. You may have the best of intentions and have a heart of gold, but you are no good to anybody if you are not good at taking care of yourself.
Even worse, some people are bitter about being overwhelmed and worn out because they think it is someone else's fault, and they think someone else should take care of them. But if you are waiting for someone else to take care of you, then you will be waiting for the rest of your life.
Only you can take care of you. Only you can make sure that you get enough sleep. Only you can make sure that you get to church every Sunday. Only you can make sure that you eat right and get regular exercise. Only you can make sure that you spend adequate time in prayer and God's word. You are YOUR responsibility. So if you want to be used by God to serve others, take care of yourself. Here are eight ways to take care of yourself.
Take a weekly Sabbath. Saturday is my Sabbath. Every Saturday. I don't run errands. I don't do yard work or church work. I don't clean the house or work on the car. I just rest and relax and play. Is it a sin to not take a weekly Sabbath? Wrong question. Is it wise to not take a weekly Sabbath? Definitely not.
Get enough sleep every night. People need 6-8 hours of sleep. Women need more than men. And sleep is not something that you can catch up on. Once it is lost, it's lost. I am in bed around 7:30 or 8 PM just about every night.
Exercise. Exercise increases your energy and strength and makes you more resilient to sickness. It also makes you look good, and when you look good, you will feel better. I exercise 3 to 4 days a week for about 25 minutes.
Eat right. Most Americans are fat. Being overweight decreases your energy and leads to all sorts of health problems. What causes overweight? Eating too much. To lose weight you have to cut back on the calories. I eat a salad for lunch and supper every day.
Make church a priority. Studies show that going to church every Sunday will drastically improve your life over the long haul. But you have to make it a priority or you will always come up excuses for not going to church.
Have a daily quiet time. I devote the first part of my morning to prayer and Bible study. And I'm not studying for a sermon. This is just time to talk to and listen to God.
Disconnect. If you are accessible all of the time, you won't be accessible any of the time. When I go to bed, the phone is turned off. The same goes for my Sabbath. If someone needs me during those times, they're just going to have to drive to my house.
Simplify your life. If you are over-committed and over-extended you won't do anything with excellence and you will be worn out. Stop trying to keep up with everyone else. Slow down and get rid of the clutter. Learn to say "No."
Even worse, some people are bitter about being overwhelmed and worn out because they think it is someone else's fault, and they think someone else should take care of them. But if you are waiting for someone else to take care of you, then you will be waiting for the rest of your life.
Only you can take care of you. Only you can make sure that you get enough sleep. Only you can make sure that you get to church every Sunday. Only you can make sure that you eat right and get regular exercise. Only you can make sure that you spend adequate time in prayer and God's word. You are YOUR responsibility. So if you want to be used by God to serve others, take care of yourself. Here are eight ways to take care of yourself.
Take a weekly Sabbath. Saturday is my Sabbath. Every Saturday. I don't run errands. I don't do yard work or church work. I don't clean the house or work on the car. I just rest and relax and play. Is it a sin to not take a weekly Sabbath? Wrong question. Is it wise to not take a weekly Sabbath? Definitely not.
Get enough sleep every night. People need 6-8 hours of sleep. Women need more than men. And sleep is not something that you can catch up on. Once it is lost, it's lost. I am in bed around 7:30 or 8 PM just about every night.
Exercise. Exercise increases your energy and strength and makes you more resilient to sickness. It also makes you look good, and when you look good, you will feel better. I exercise 3 to 4 days a week for about 25 minutes.
Eat right. Most Americans are fat. Being overweight decreases your energy and leads to all sorts of health problems. What causes overweight? Eating too much. To lose weight you have to cut back on the calories. I eat a salad for lunch and supper every day.
Make church a priority. Studies show that going to church every Sunday will drastically improve your life over the long haul. But you have to make it a priority or you will always come up excuses for not going to church.
Have a daily quiet time. I devote the first part of my morning to prayer and Bible study. And I'm not studying for a sermon. This is just time to talk to and listen to God.
Disconnect. If you are accessible all of the time, you won't be accessible any of the time. When I go to bed, the phone is turned off. The same goes for my Sabbath. If someone needs me during those times, they're just going to have to drive to my house.
Simplify your life. If you are over-committed and over-extended you won't do anything with excellence and you will be worn out. Stop trying to keep up with everyone else. Slow down and get rid of the clutter. Learn to say "No."
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