Self Care: Mark 1:35

Photo by Kelvin Valerio on Unsplash

“You have to take care of you before you can help anyone else.” Ever heard that before?

Some people swear by it. But for others, this feels selfish and makes them uncomfortable. Self-care is important, but selfishness actually degrades and destroys. So what should you do when you’re feeling run down? What should you practice before you are feeling run down?

Jesus had an interesting night one time. He taught in the synagogue and was challenged by a man who was demon possessed—not my version of a fun time. He cast out the demon, wrapped up the teaching time, and went back to Simon Peter’s in-laws for a little R&R. The thing was, the hostess was laid up with a fever. What did he do? “And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.” (Mark 1:31 ESV).

But his day wasn’t over, because, “That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons” (Mark 1:32-34a ESV).

What a day! Picture it: one by one they come up to the door and Jesus hears the concern. Then he speaks a word or takes their hand and they are well. The diseases are healed! The demons are defeated and expelled! The people are happy! One after another after another after another after another after another… You get the idea! It was a long night, and there was a lot of social interaction! So much for the R&R!

So now it’s time for some self-care. How did Jesus do it? “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35 ESV).

Christian self-care is not escape: it’s not tuning people out, dropping out, or moving out! It’s not indulgence, either. It’s not about spending money or having an adventure or eating what you want! Those things can’t deliver and won’t make you happy for long because they cannot make you whole.

Wholeness after depletion. Wholeness before depletion. That’s what you want. And Jesus found it by blocking time for his relationship with God. That was Christian self-care.

And once refilled: “And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ And he said to them, ‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.’ And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons” (Mark 1:36-39 ESV).

Wholeness.