Is Self Care Selfish?

[@alexhuddleston3950]

These are some great thoughts, thank you Duncan! Which Biblical precedents would you point people towards for this?

[@DunkForbes]

Thanks. So this is not an exhaustive answer, but off the top of my head: 1) God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) 2) The whole of the Psalter gives a way of meditating to be able to bear fruit (esp. Ps 1). 3) If we live out the reality of being God's beloved, then we will care for ourselves, and this reality precedes helping others (as in Jesus's baptism - 'this is my beloved son'). 4) Jesus' practise of spending time in prayer before going to help others. 5) Gen 1, that creation is good, and was to be enjoyed by Adam and Eve alongside them serving God and others. 6) I'm sure I'm missing a lot of other points!...

[@alexhuddleston3950]

Thank you, this is helpful. Definitely helps clarify what a Biblical model of self-care might look like @@DunkForbes

[@alexhuddleston3950]

Sorry, just thinking more now, seems like the suggestion there is self-care ultimately looks like personal time seeking God's care and meditating on his care maybe? Which is a profound distinctive from how the world thinks about it perhaps @@DunkForbes

[@DunkForbes]

@@alexhuddleston3950 I personally try to take a holistic view of self-care. Part of my self-care is prayer and meditation, but part of it is breathing exercises, being around beauty, journalling, making music etc. For me a more holistic view fits my Christian doctrine of creation which incorpates the brain science of how our nervous system works, and avoids the sort of gnostic idea that matter is bad and spirit is good.

[@alexhuddleston3950]

@@DunkForbes That's really helpful, thanks Duncan!