Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

It the beginning of the work week and also the week leading to Good Friday, Easter weekend. It is the best time to do a self- care check!!

In this season we take the time to recognize the glorious gift God gave to us through the awesome sacrifice of Jesus! As the song says “God sent his son, they call him Jesus.” It is a time remember, all that Calvary’s Cross made possible for everyone. Salvation from the enemy of our souls through the blood of Jesus! Victory over death, hell, and the grave through the resurrection of Jesus!!

Because he got up, so can we!!

So, as you prepare to enjoy all the Easter celebrations, also take time to evaluate yourself. This is self-care at it’s finest.

Look at your life, your current state:

⁃ Is your life pleasing to God?

⁃ Is your light shinning brightly to the world around you?

⁃ Are you exemplifying the victorious life that Jesus gave?

⁃ Or has the bulb of your life grown dim?

⁃ Are you barely living your life with your head above (spiritually speaking)?

Now is the perfect time to take stock and make adjustments.

Philippians 3-13, recognizes the fact that we have not already attained. We are all very much a work in progress!!

The best we can do is let go of the past. Your successes and failures are all in the past. We live in the present and make provisions for the future.

As for the past? We must let it go. We cannot let it negatively impact our present or future. We must repent, and then do better. We cannot keep committing the same mistakes of the past. If we do, we will continually find ourselves in the same state.

This is self-care. We learn from mistakes and do better.

How? We ask God for help. We ask for his guidance – then take our hands off the reigns of our life, and follow as he leads.

God is a “right now” God. The enemy would have you believe that if we pray, the help will come at some undetermined time in the future. This is one of the greatest lies of the devil.

The truth is, when we pray, God dispatches the answer immediately.

It is our duty to stand still and wait for the manifestation.

There is victory and freedom in waiting on the Lord. It takes the pressure off us to make a move. Now the ball is in God’s court. He will not let you down! He will show us the next step. It then is our job to take that step. Wether we like or agree with it. Recognize he will not steer you wrong.

Most of the time we are like a train. We want to keep moving forward until we pull into the designated station. We are unable to stop moving and wait on the Lord. We do not allow the Lord to speak and correct our course. We must make room for God to be God in our lives.

Self-care means we also take the time to repent and make corrections. This is how we learn and do better.

Philippians 3:13-14, also says that once we have let go of the past, we look forward. You cannot make progress if we are living in the past!! We must press forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is this prize? Seeing God’s face is peace. Pleasing God, doing his will. Eternal life with Christ – Heaven!!

We must keep heaven in our view. We must work to take as many people with us, by operating in the gifts and calling that God has given to us all. The world needs us to be in our place, operating under the anointing of God to accomplish his will.

So, on this self-care Monday take time for yourself. Evaluate your “right-now”, and truly see where you are. Yes, it may bring tears to your eyes. But this is a good thing. It provides an opportunity to fix things. It’s a time of course corrections – by getting back in line with Christ!

Have a great Self-Care Monday. Do the work to put yourself in a great place mentally. Self-Care relieves stress and anxiety. Trust God to be God in your life. Let him handle the things you cannot!!

Have a blessed day!