Self-care and the Orphan Heart
by Peter Brokaar
Self-care seems to be a popular term. It is used to describe actions and routines that promote personal health and well-being. It is without doubt a good idea to treat ourselves well. After all, we know that God’s heart too is very much to care for us.
As a good father looks after his children, or as a good shepherd would care for his sheep, so God longs to care for us.
Psalm 8:4 says: ‘What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?’
Psalm 100:3 says: ‘It is He who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.’
Self-care then seems to agree with God that we need caring for. But there is something about the term ‘self-care’ that can make one feel alone, as if it is up to us and us alone to provide the much-needed care. That perhaps, if we don’t, no-one else will.
But Jesus gave us a beautiful promise, spoken to His disciples, in the knowledge that He would soon return to heaven. “I will not leave you as orphans”. What does this mean?
God does not want us to be alone like an orphan in this world. He wants us to know that we belong to Him. Orphans have to look after themselves. It is very sad. Every orphan wishes they had a parent. No healthy child, growing up in a loving family ever wished to be an orphan. It is a sad, lonely, insecure place to be. Orphans do not receive the benefit of parental care and have to learn to look after themselves.
Self-care may be better than self-neglect. It is more in line with God’s heart of love and care for the people He made. But as Christians we have something infinitely better, a heavenly Father who cares for us. Once we start appreciating this, we no longer have to look after ourselves when we feel alone.
Yet we may still partially behave as orphans. Something inside may tell us that it’s up to us to care for ourselves. God wants us to know that yes, it is good to be cared for, but it is not good to do this alone. He wants us to receive and practise care in relationship with Him.
Peter Brokaar is Director of Ellel Ministries Scotland and has been there together with his wife Liz since 2005. They have 3 kids, all born in Scotland! In his free time he likes reading, cooking, running and surfing. Being at Ellel Scotland has given him the privilege of getting to know God deeper and sharing that joy with many others.
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