Caring For The Body
“Many of us have been socialized away from our bodies, taught instead to focus upon the needs of other bodies and to take pride in caring more for other people and institutions than we do for ourselves. It is self-neglect, but we call it responsibility, discipline, drive, even discipleship. Scripture, though, does not teach us to hate our bodies. Even Paul, the champion of self-denial, says that we should feed and take care of our bodies with the love of Christ!”
Chanequa Walker-Barnes
In a world that often pushes us to overwork, neglect rest, and ignore our physical needs, it can be easy to forget that our bodies are sacred. Messages from society, faith communities, or even within ourselves may have caused us to disconnect from the needs and tasks to take care of our bodies. As Chanequa Walker-Barnes reminds us in the quote above, while our work for the kin-dom tells us to keep going, scripture tells us that our bodies are not just for executing the functions of our work—they are holy and are to be nourished and tenderly cared for (Ephesians 5:29–30).
Caring for our bodies is not about striving for perfection or meeting external standards. It’s about listening to what our bodies need and responding with compassion. Whether it’s nourishing ourselves with food, moving in ways that feel good, or simply resting, these acts of care are ways we honor the Creator.
This week, we invite you to practice listening to your body. Each day, take a few moments to pause and ask yourself:
How is my body feeling right now?
What does my body need today—rest, movement, nourishment, hydration, or something else?
How can I respond to those needs with care and love?
As you begin to tune in to your body’s needs, consider making one small change that supports your physical well-being. Maybe it’s drinking more water, going for a walk, or allowing yourself to take a nap. Whatever it is, let it be an act of love toward the temple God has given you.
As you care for your body this week, may you come to see it as a sacred place of being, fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving Creator. You are worthy of care, rest, and love.
This series was Inspired by a Lenten sermon series led by QCF community member Rev. Tonetta Landis-Aina at The Table Church DC and the book Sacred Self-Care: Daily Practices for Nurturing Our Whole Selves by Chanequa Walker-Barnes.
Sacred Self-Care was written as a 7-week Lenten devotional, but many of the principles can be explored year-round as we strive to make sure we are taking the time to care for ourselves. To help us expand the conversation, we have a weekly drop-in group where you can work on these practices in community.
Join us Wednesday nights at 7pm ET for a Sacred Self-Care Drop-In Group throughout the month of May. You can find more information and sign up at the link below!
