Caring For Ourselves To Serve God At Our Best

Hi Everyone,

I have been thinking about something. i think I may have eluded to this a little in the past, but I guess today was one of those days where God lovingly challenged me through a few others, and in my own personal life about caring more for myself in the sense of care because I am His temple and therefore, I am worth being properly taken care of.

I've mentioned the verse below in other posts before:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body."

This whole "caring for myself" thing is really a new concept for me. So many things are changing since I got saved---things like diet, living a life of more order, and my general lifestyle. Now everything is not necessarily changing at once, but it is actually kind of fascinating to see. And it isn't because someone is telling me to do it. There are a few challenges and factors in the mix, especially regarding a few health things right now, which are leading to definite changes, but in general, it is just God and I walking in life together in a personal relationship, and things changing day by day.

And it is a very different thing to TRULY "care for myself" because I finally truly believe that I AM VALUABLE AND THAT I HAVE WORTH----as do all of us. but it is something new to me--to deep down in my core really actually believe that! I like it! Your life changes and you live accordingly to that.

So why do we take care of ourselves, because we are His, instead of giving in to self-harm or addictions as the world does?

Well, honestly, when you have peace with God and peace with yourself, you no longer need destructive or addictive behaviors as a part of your life because YOU TRULY HAVE WHAT YOU NEED IN GOD AND DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE. Now I don't mean that Believers never struggle in these areas-I believe they can struggle if they get their eyes off Jesus or get lured by the world, flesh, and sometimes Satan himself in the world system. But walking with God day by day and looking to Him makes a big difference. AS WE WALK WITH GOD, AND PERSONALLY KNOW HIM, HOPEFULLY, WE LOSE OUR NEED TO FILL OUR LIVES WITH "OTHER THINGS" BECAUSE THE VOID OF EMPTINESS THAT WE TRIED TO FILL BEFORE KNOWING CHRIST IS NOW FILLED WITH CHRIST HIMSELF!!(More on this topic at a later date.)

We take care of ourselves because we are His temple--the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit----and what place is more precious or valuable than that? Nothing---He DWELLS AND LIVES IN US---HIS VERY PRESENCE. Isn't that awesome? It is definitely a reason to care for ourselves in healthy and proper ways!

We take care of ourselves to honor God---it REALLY ALL COMES BACK TO BRINGING HIM THE WORSHIP AND THE GLORY THAT HE ALONE IS WORTHY OF. Everything we do is an offering of worship to God--no exceptions. Our lives are not in little compartments where God only affects certain areas of our lives. He affects it all if we allow Him to do so. There isn't anything in our lives that isn't about God's honor and glory.

We take care of ourselves because we want to serve GOD at our very best----not that He needs us to serve Him, but, the truth is that He chooses to use us. And the fact that He chooses to use us is a privilege! Ephesians 2:9 says that he has prepared works for us to do--and we want to be able to do those things at our very best for His glory and honor--because again--it's all about Him! We want to finish well and live our lives doing EVERYTHING at our best and for His glory, as I said above.

We take care of ourselves because, as I said at the beginning, we as believers, have value and worth--as do all human beings. But there is a difference with us as believers, because WE KNOW the reason why we have value and worth in God's sight--that the lost world around us does not yet understand. WE KNOW AND TRUST THAT JESUS CHRIST DIED AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE--THAT HE DIED ON THE CROSS IN OUR PLACE FOR OUR SINS TAKING THE PUNISHMENT THAT WE DESERVED----and THAT makes ALL the difference!!!

We take care of ourselves also for one more reason--to be as Matthew 5 says His salt and light to a hurting and lost world that is yet held captive. We are an example to them--a light of hope to those that are yet perishing----and in this darkening world --may our lights truly shine all the brighter so the wold may see--------Not Us for the sake of "simply seeing us"---- BUT RATHER MIGHT THEY SEE HIM-JESUS CHRIST LIVING AND SHINNING THROUGH US!!!

Do we see the precious people around us who are lost as, "prisoners, held captive?," beloved brothers and sisters in Christ? I hope we honestly do see them that way, because they are!!1 We must ask God how he wants to use us in being a light so they are set free from the sin and death that entangles them--and make sure that we are not giving in to the world's system and sin at the same time. Yes, we live here on earth at the moment, but this world is NOT our home--our Home is in Heaven.

So as you care for yourself today, maybe in the most mundane and necessary ways, remember, it is all an act of worship to God---and a testimony of Him to the world----and it is all for HIS GLORY!!!!!