Tag: #TimeOfFreshing

Greetings, Precious Family. May the Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Family, yesterday was not my best day. I came to the realization that it was time to step back and practice something I often encourage others to do, self-care.

On the very first day of my master’s degree at Liberty University, one of the very first lessons we were taught was the importance of self-care. Our professors knew that as future therapists we would spend countless hours pouring into the lives of others. If we neglected our own emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, we would eventually have nothing left to give.

Since graduating from Liberty and beginning the privilege of working with some truly amazing clients, life has become busier than I ever imagined. Between work, counseling, writing these daily devotionals, and life’s everyday responsibilities, I realized I could not continue at my current pace without intentionally making time to rest and be refreshed.

The beautiful thing is that self-care is not merely a modern idea, it is a biblical principle. God cares about every part of our lives: our spirit, our mind, and our body.

3 John 2
New King James Version

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Yesterday, I realized I had been giving so much of myself to everyone else that I had forgotten to extend that same grace to myself. Rest is not selfish. Sometimes it is an act of obedience.

Let Us Pray

Abba,

Thank You for loving us enough to care about every part of our lives. You are not only concerned with the condition of our souls, but also with our minds, our bodies, and our hearts. You created us, and You know our limits even better than we do.

Lord, forgive us for the times we have believed that constantly giving without resting somehow brings You glory. Forgive us for neglecting the temples You have entrusted to our care. Help us to understand that caring for ourselves is not selfish when it enables us to better serve You and those You have placed in our lives.

Teach us to recognize when we need to slow down. Give us the wisdom to build healthy boundaries, the courage to say “not today” when necessary, and the humility to admit when we are weary. Remind us that even Jesus withdrew from the crowds to pray, to rest, and to spend time alone with You. If the Savior of the world made room for rest, surely we should as well.

Father, refresh every person reading this devotional today. Some are physically exhausted. Some are emotionally drained. Others have been carrying burdens in silence for so long that they no longer remember what peace feels like. Wrap them in Your loving presence. Restore what stress has stolen. Heal what anxiety has worn down. Strengthen what has become weak.

Help us to remember that true self-care begins in Your presence. As we spend time with You, renew our minds, restore our joy, strengthen our bodies, and fill our hearts with Your peace. May we leave Your presence better equipped to love, serve, encourage, and care for others because we have first allowed You to care for us.

We surrender our schedules, our responsibilities, our worries, and our need to always keep going. Today, we choose to rest in You.

In the precious name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen, Amen, and Amen.

Worship Video of the Day

Rev. Marcia Davis

Covington, GA (USA)