Loving Yourself Well

Week 2: Loving Yourself Well

Last week was all about Loving God first and each day more. This week is all about loving ourselves more each day the way God wants us to. Let’s dive in!

Day 8: Self-Love Is Not Selfish; It’s Stewardship

When we hear the term self-love, many of us instinctively hesitate. We worry that focusing on ourselves is selfish, indulgent, or even unbiblical. After all, aren’t we called to serve others and put their needs before our own? While service and sacrifice are essential to a Christ-centered life, neglecting ourselves isn’t what God desires either. In fact, loving yourself well is an act of stewardship—it’s about caring for the life, body, and mind God has entrusted to you.

Redefining Self-Love

The world often portrays self-love as self-indulgence—treating yourself, pampering yourself, or putting your own happiness above everything else. But biblical self-love is different. Jesus Himself said, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This verse implies that we cannot fully love others if we are not loving ourselves in a healthy way.

Loving yourself doesn’t mean prioritizing yourself at the expense of others. It means recognizing your worth in Christ, setting healthy boundaries, and caring for your body, mind, and spirit so that you can live out God’s calling effectively.

Self-Love as Stewardship

God has given each of us a body, a mind, and a purpose. Stewardship means managing what He has entrusted to us with wisdom and care. That includes:

•Physical Stewardship – Caring for your body through rest, nutrition, movement, and adequate sleep. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and treating it well is an act of worship.

•Emotional Stewardship – Guarding your heart, protecting your peace, and engaging in healthy relationships. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

•Spiritual Stewardship – Prioritizing time with God, prayer, and spiritual renewal. Jesus Himself took time away to rest and be with the Father (Luke 5:16), setting an example of how important it is to recharge spiritually.

•Mental Stewardship – Caring for your thoughts, setting healthy boundaries, and seeking help when needed. Philippians 4:8 reminds us to focus on what is true, noble, right, and pure.

When we take care of ourselves in these ways, we position ourselves to serve God and others from a place of strength rather than exhaustion.

Breaking the Guilt Cycle

Many of us struggle with guilt when it comes to self-care. We feel like we should be doing more, serving more, giving more. But consider this: even Jesus took time away to rest. If the Son of God saw the need to step away and care for His well-being, how much more do we need to do the same?

Rest isn’t laziness. Boundaries aren’t selfish. Saying no isn’t unloving. These things are necessary so that we can love others well.

Practical Ways to Love Yourself Well

1.Start with Grace – Recognize that you are a work in progress and that God loves you where you are.

2.Prioritize Rest – Create space for physical rest and mental renewal.

3.Set Boundaries – Learn to say no to what drains you and yes to what fills you.

4.Speak Kindly to Yourself – Replace negative self-talk with truth from God’s Word.

5.Nourish Your Soul – Spend time in prayer, Scripture, and worship.

6. Seek Community – Surround yourself with people who uplift and encourage you.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for entrusting me with the body, mind, and spirit You have given me. Help me to care for myself in a way that honors You. Teach me to love myself well so that I may love others from a place of strength, not emptiness. Show me where I need to set boundaries, where I need to rest, and where I need to grow. I surrender my self-care to You, knowing that when I am well, I can serve You more effectively. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Self-love is not selfish. It is an act of stewardship. When you care for yourself well, you are better equipped to live out God’s calling on your life. Today, give yourself permission to rest, to heal, and to love yourself in the way God intended.