The objective of good selfcare

Posted byoakhillcrossvillePosted inUncategorized
Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Selfcare”

Our Bible verse for today: “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “This is the objective of good selfcare”

The old saying tells us, “Life is hard – and then you die.” Granted, that sounds dark and pessimistic, and it is, but there is also a lot of truth contained in that clever little ditty. Life is hard, and someday you will die. The question isn’t if you will encounter trials and tribulations in life (you will). And the question is not whether you will one day die (unless you’re still alive when Jesus comes back then yes, one day you will die). The larger and more important question is “how will you deal with those stark realities?”

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 Paul affirmed that in life it often felt as if he was afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and even struck down. And yet, he was not crushed, in despair, feeling abandoned, nor did any of that destroy him. How did this spiritual giant handle all the things he faced in life and do it with such dignity and grace? He tells us a little later in that same passage. In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 he wrote,

“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

The editors of the Experiencing God Study Bible had this to say about that: “God does not promise a pain-free life, but he does provide hope in the face of adversity.” This is what we were thinking about in yesterday’s devotional. This is why we discipline ourselves to engage in “the long obedience in the same direction” that pastor and author Eugene Peterson wrote about. This is what a lifetime of good spiritual practice produces in us.

The objective of good spiritual practice as part of good selfcare is so that we will be healthy, strong, confident, poised, dignified, and faithful through all the trials and tribulations we face in life. We have hope for today and a promise for tomorrow. Afflicted, maybe. But not crushed and certainly not defeated.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville
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