Is Self-Care Selfish?
Healing and Wholeness in Heart and Soul
Reflection By Scott Stoner
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
- Prayer of St. Francis
Christians sometimes wonder if it is self-centered to focus on their own emotional and spiritual wellness. Isn’t it our call to love and serve others, not ourselves?
My thought is that if our only goal is our own well-being, that would be self-centered. However, when our goal also includes being well so that we can serve others effectively, we become instruments of healing and wholeness in our world. In that case, we are better able to fulfill our desire to love our neighbor as we better love ourselves. There is a significant difference between being self-centered and having a centered self.
The opening words of the St. Francis Prayer above are a prayer for being able to be instruments of God’s peace. It can be helpful to think of this in musical terms. If our own instruments—our hearts and souls—are out of tune, it is difficult to share the gift of beautiful music with others. When I am not emotionally or spiritually well, it is difficult for me to convey well-being to others.
But if we regularly tune the instruments of our lives, we can then truly be God’s instruments for spreading the peace and healing described in the Prayer of St. Francis.
Making It Personal: Have you ever wondered if self-care is selfish or if it is always better to prioritize the needs of others over your own? Looking back on this week’s reflections, what thoughts or practices will continue to be helpful for you in nurturing and tuning your emotional and spiritual well-being?