If we always neglect our needs to focus on those of others first, we’re in agreement with the works-based mentality. We hold the false belief that our self-worth comes from what we can do for others. It’s Righteous and honorable to take care of our responsibilities. But never forget that we have inherent self-worth anyway, whether we can complete those responsibilities or not. Our self-worth is not dependent on anything we do.
Hello Readers, hope all’s well. Time for another #shorts post.
My previous post was about taking a sick day, and our biological (and Scriptural!!) imperative to get enough rest. I wrote about how we should never feel bad for resting from our labor when we’re sick. What’s actually sick is how society conditions us to keep working when we need to rest, and to feel bad about time off. This sick society sends a message of guilt for taking care of our own needs.
I’m not 100% recovered yet as of this writing, but I’m definitely feeling better. And I know for sure that taking some days off was the right decision. I’d be feeling much worse, much less recovered now if I had tried to “tough it out” and keep working through my illness. I once again realized how important it is to listen to ourselves, recognize our needs, and take care of those needs.
On that note, I read something else exactly along those lines in a 5-day Bible reading plan I was doing this week. I read “Checking in with Michelle Williams,” by Michelle Williams, on the Bible App. It’s a nice, short reading plan and I recommend it. And in the Devotional for Day 3, she writes on this very topic of making sure not to neglect our needs. So let’s hear from Michelle Williams about what it means to honor our needs.
A Mistaken Agreement
What struck me when I read this devotional which you can read below was “do you put [animals’] needs first??” Because I read this while I was very sick, but I was still getting up at certain times to walk my dogs. I would have felt too guilty about not walking them, so I got up despite the discomfort and took them out. I love my dogs, so I don’t want to neglect their needs. But whenever I take care of their needs, I must neglect my own if what I need at the time is rest.
Can any of you relate?? I’m sure most can. We all have sacrifices to make and responsibilities to take care of. Here’s the thing though … we must always remember that we are one of the people we’re responsible for too. We have needs too, and we must take care of those same as we take care of any other needs we’re responsible for. And we should never feel guilty about taking care of ourselves.
When we set aside our own needs to care for those of others, is it because we’re selfless?? Responsible?? Honorable?? Loving?? Self-Sacrificing and Humble?? It could be, sure. But it can also be because of a works-based mentality, one that makes us believe the false message we only have worth as a person if we’re useful to others. This is where the lie is.
This works-based mentality of “I can never let anyone down” is the wrong motivation for tending to the needs of others. We have to get rid of this false idea if we are to realize the Truth of our inherent value as a person, a value that is not dependent on works.
Michelle Williams explains:
Do you ever find yourself saying yes when you really want to say no? We all do this occasionally, but how many of you continually find yourself going places and doing things you really don’t want to do? Do you put your wants and needs on the back burner and put other people’s (or even animals’) needs first, even when it’s a real inconvenience to you? Is doing something for someone else the only way you feel good about yourself? Making someone else happy? Even if it makes you unhappy?
If this is you, you may have made a spiritual agreement a while back that on your own, you’re no good. That without works, you are worthless. You’ve told yourself that everybody relies on you and you can’t let them down. If you do, you’re selfish. So you find yourself enslaved to the demands of those around you. You’re probably frustrated, drained, and feel taken advantage of. But it’s all because you haven’t checked in with your motives, your why behind the choices you make. . . .
Michelle Williams, Checking in with Michelle Williams, a 5-Day Devotional, Day 3 of 5
It’s pretty simple, everyone. We need to learn to look at ourselves the way God looks at us: With indescribable, inherent value. Value that isn’t dependent on good works or in fact on anything we do. God loves us unconditionally, and we don’t need to do anything to earn this love. In fact there’s nothing we can do to earn it—it’s given through Grace.
If we always neglect our needs to focus on those of others first, we’re in agreement with the works-based mentality. We hold the false belief that our self-worth comes from what we can do for others. It’s Righteous and honorable to take care of our responsibilities. But never forget that we have inherent self-worth anyway, whether we can complete those responsibilities or not. Our self-worth is not dependent on anything we do.
And we will one day no longer be able to take care of others if we don’t take care of ourselves when we need to. So when we’re sick, or otherwise unable to take care of those we usually care for, we need to do the right thing and treat ourselves how we treat others. With love and care. Only then can we endure in being of Service to our loved ones over the long-term.
That’s it for #shorts Part 26.
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99:9
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