Believe it or not, God really wants us to enjoy a good life. Peter Scazzero writes in his book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, "God never asked us to die to the healthy desires and pleasures of life--to friendships, joy, art, music, beauty, recreation, laughter, and nature." However, some of us act as though it is a sin to even take care of our most basic needs, let alone do something for ourselves that we want to do. As a professional people-helper, I know that I must take care of myself if I am to be able to help anyone else. I call it the "oxygen mask principle."
If you have ever been on an airplane and observed the steward(ess) give the spiel on what to do if there is a crisis on board, you will remember that she provides instructions on what to do when the oxygen mask drops down. You are to put it on yourself before putting it on the child next to you (assuming it is your own child). Why? Because if you pass out from a lack of oxygen, you won't be able to help the child. The same is true in ministry. If you don't take care of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you won't be in a position to help others.
This is a truth I have shared with parents, physicians, pastors, and other counselors. but it is especially true for those in the ministry or practice of helping others. Although we are instructed to consider the needs of others before our own, and to be willing to lay down our lives for another, we are also told to love others as ourselves. To love ourselves is not an act of selfishness, but rather good stewardship. Trying to meet the needs of others without taking care of ourselves is like trying to fill a glass with an empty pitcher.
Good stewardship of self means, first of all, meeting our own spiritual needs by spending time nurturing your own relationship with God. Jesus modeled this quite well. We read in the Scripture that He often would go somewhere to pray by Himself (Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35, 6:46; Luke 5:16). Scazzero warns us that, "work for God that is not nourished by a deep interior life with God will eventually be contaminated by other things such as ego, power, needing approval of and from others, and buying into the wrong ideas of success and the mistaken belief that we can't fail."
Those ministering to others also need to be certain their emotional needs are met, as well as their physical needs, and other needs. I hope to address those in later blogs. But, I would encourage you to start by making time with the Lord your highest priority. As I have said before, create space for God, so that He can demonstrate His love for you, bring healing to you, and give you the desires of your heart.
Godspeed, Doulos
If you have ever been on an airplane and observed the steward(ess) give the spiel on what to do if there is a crisis on board, you will remember that she provides instructions on what to do when the oxygen mask drops down. You are to put it on yourself before putting it on the child next to you (assuming it is your own child). Why? Because if you pass out from a lack of oxygen, you won't be able to help the child. The same is true in ministry. If you don't take care of yourself, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you won't be in a position to help others.
This is a truth I have shared with parents, physicians, pastors, and other counselors. but it is especially true for those in the ministry or practice of helping others. Although we are instructed to consider the needs of others before our own, and to be willing to lay down our lives for another, we are also told to love others as ourselves. To love ourselves is not an act of selfishness, but rather good stewardship. Trying to meet the needs of others without taking care of ourselves is like trying to fill a glass with an empty pitcher.
Good stewardship of self means, first of all, meeting our own spiritual needs by spending time nurturing your own relationship with God. Jesus modeled this quite well. We read in the Scripture that He often would go somewhere to pray by Himself (Matt. 14:23; Mark 1:35, 6:46; Luke 5:16). Scazzero warns us that, "work for God that is not nourished by a deep interior life with God will eventually be contaminated by other things such as ego, power, needing approval of and from others, and buying into the wrong ideas of success and the mistaken belief that we can't fail."
Those ministering to others also need to be certain their emotional needs are met, as well as their physical needs, and other needs. I hope to address those in later blogs. But, I would encourage you to start by making time with the Lord your highest priority. As I have said before, create space for God, so that He can demonstrate His love for you, bring healing to you, and give you the desires of your heart.
Godspeed, Doulos
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