Tag: missionary self-care

WHO AM I, AND WHY SHOULD I CARE

Tough, isolated, off-grid, among some of the most unreached people on earth. Going where no one has gone before. Building on no man’s foundation. This is the ideal location for a pioneer mission worker. 

Tom lived in a remote village of a significant tribe on the southern fringe of the Sahara alone for months. He was in the throes of learning his third language, partnering part-time on a community development project, and traveling away from his wife and small kids who were homeschooling and fielding neighbors’ demands. He was clocking 60-80 hours of work per week and still not feeling like he was doing enough. His family was struggling, and his health was diminishing. He felt anxious, weary, and guilty, but couldn’t see an alternative.

Tom’s identity was tied tightly to the place, platform, and people group around him. To be connected to the Person of Christ or his God-given roles as husband and father seemed less fulfilling or urgent. This led to deep disappointment and an identity crash, especially when the work was pulled out from underneath him and he was forced to leave the field as his wife became severely unwell. Instead of offering her compassion, he stewed angrily because he wasn’t where he wanted to be, even though it was a perfect moment to reset. Up until then, Tom had thought to himself, “I am a hardworking and faithful missionary. I am giving myself to the mission. Self-care is selfish. It can’t be biblical. Isn’t it the opposite of living by faith? I’m called to be a living sacrifice.” 

BIBLICAL REFLECTION ON IDENTITY

Our true self and identity are fundamentally defined by God, not by our accomplishments, failures, feelings, or the opinions of others. This identity is established in two primary ways:

Created in God’s Image (Imago Dei). From the very beginning, humanity was uniquely fashioned in the likeness of God, endowing every person with inherent dignity, worth, and a capacity for relationship with Him. This is the foundational truth of who we are. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-14)

True Identity as a new creation in Christ. For believers, our identity is radically transformed through salvation. God gives us a new identity. We are no longer defined by sin or our past, but by our connection with Christ. We are redeemed by the blood of Christ, reconciled with God, and regenerated to new life. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24)

Beware of false or secondary identities. In contrast to true identity in Christ, humans can take on “false” or “secondary” identities. These are derived from other sources, human performance, lies from the enemy, or sinful patterns, and they ultimately fail to provide lasting security, worth, or fulfillment. They become problematic when they replace or overshadow one’s primary identity in Christ. False identities can include:

Performance/Achievement: Defining oneself by success, career, ministry results, or status. (Example: “I am a [adjective] [title].”) This identity is fragile, especially when success wanes, career ends, or ministry doesn’t produce visible fruit. It leads to pride in success and despair in failure. (Galatians 6:14)

Possessions/Sensations: Defining oneself by what one has or doesn’t have. (Example: “I am wealthy,” “I am comfortable,” “I am secure.”) Stuff is fleeting and cannot provide ultimate security or satisfaction. (Luke 12:15)

Relationships/Approval: Defining oneself by what others think, by eye-service, or by one’s role in a relationship. (Example: “I am accepted/rejected,” “I am important to this person/group.”) Human approval is fickle and unreliable. It leads to people-pleasing, fear of rejection, and a constant striving for external validation. (Galatians 1:10)

Suffering/Victimhood: Defining oneself primarily by past hurts, trauma, or perceived injustices. While acknowledging pain is important for healing, allowing it to become one’s core identity can hinder growth, forgiveness, peace, and restoration. (Romans 8:1; Philippians 3:13-14)

Nationality/Ethnicity: While cultural identity is God-given and good, it becomes a danger when it defines one’s worth or creates division within the Body of Christ. It can lead to pride, prejudice, and a failure to see all people as equally made in God’s image and equally in need of Christ. (Galatians 3:28)

These false identities are menacing because they are unstable, prone to collapse, and ultimately distract us from the true, secure, and eternally satisfying identity found only in Christ. This means your worth is not tied to the number of disciples, the success of a project, or how well you navigate cultural complexities in the field. Your identity is securely established in who God says you are in Christ.

What other Scriptures or biblical aspects come to mind when you consider “identity and self”? Take a few moments to look up 1-2 of these verses and journal what the Lord highlights for you.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

THE IMPORTANCE OF CARING FOR SELF

Pioneers navigating the unique demands of serving among the unreached, understanding your “self” and anchoring your “identity” is not a luxury, but a spiritual imperative. The mission field, with its intense pressures, cultural dislocations, and spiritual battles, can profoundly challenge one’s sense of self. True identity and self-care are essential for long-term health and effectiveness. 

What God says about who you are. If you are in Christ, you are adopted as God’s children, heirs with Christ, and citizens of His Kingdom. (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 4:22-24; Romans 8:15-17; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1) You are forgiven, righteous, and holy in Christ. (Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:22) You are chosen, beloved, and called by God. (Ephesians 1:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 8:28)

Self-care as stewardship. Caring for oneself is not inherently selfish, but a biblical principle rooted in stewardship and sustainability for God’s glory. Our bodies, minds, and spirits are temples of the Holy Spirit, entrusted to us by God. Essentially, self-care is about stewarding your life and heart through the intentional pursuit of healthy, life-giving, and restorative practices and rhythms that strengthen our love for God and others. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Mark 6:31; Matthew 22:39; Psalm 23:2-3; Psalm 90)

Care for self increases care for others. Pioneers, like any Christian, care for themselves not just for their good, but so that they can also care for others. We do not serve others at the expense of our health and joy. The Scripture says, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Many times, we either miss the last word “yourself” or overvalue it. 

Care for whole self. God designed us as complex, whole persons (Psalm 139:13–16). We do not—like a computer or machine—consist of parts, but encompass spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and relational aspects in our intricate design. When we take care of ourselves, we mustn’t target one aspect of ourselves. We need to take a holistic approach to self-care. When we care for ourselves, we express worship and gratitude to God. He gave us our ears, brains, smiles, tears, hearts, and lungs (Romans 11:36). We don’t treat our bodies as worthless and useless, but we treat ourselves with kindness as an act of gratitude to God, like the psalmist who said, “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Jesus’ invitation to take care.  In John 7:37, Jesus invites those who are thirsty to come to him and drink. This is not passive but active on behalf of the one who thirsts. In John 1, Jesus calls the disciples to ‘come’ so that they could see. In Matthew 11:28-30, the disciples are asked, ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace…I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’ These are invitations to care for oneself by meeting with God. Even Jesus gave himself time and encouraged His disciples to rest and pray amid a life of self-sacrifice (Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:30-32).

Neglecting self-care or losing sight of one’s identity in Christ can have harmful consequences for missionaries and their ministry. However, practicing care for self in a healthy way:

Maintains Holistic Health: A healthy sense of self and consistent self-care practices guard against depression, anxiety, bitterness, and spiritual dryness, enabling sustained intimacy with God.

Enhances Effectiveness and Authenticity: A well-cared-for missionary is more resilient, joyful, empathetic, and capable of serving effectively. Authenticity in sharing struggles (when appropriate) and modeling healthy Christian living is a powerful witness.

Applies One-Anothering: We put into practice the “one anothers” by not only taking care of them but also taking care of ourselves. When we take care of ourselves, we can better serve our spouse, child, neighbors, co-workers, and local disciples.

Defends the Enemy’s Arrows: The enemy often targets a missionary’s identity and well-being through lies, discouragement, and temptation. Standing firm in one’s identity in Christ and practicing self-care are vital defenses.

Models Discipleship: New believers need to see what healthy, sustainable Christian living looks like, especially in demanding contexts. Missionaries.

Mitigates Burnout and Attrition: The relentless demands of cross-cultural ministry, spiritual warfare, and isolation can quickly lead to weariness, cynicism, and departure from the field. Self-care is a preventative measure for long-term endurance.

If we don’t live out our true identity as blood-bought beloved children of God, we will live out some other inferior identity. This will cheat us out of the fullness of life.

PRAYER ACTION

Consider the Scriptures you cling to above. Consider your identity. Write a prayer for the kind of person you want to be, who lives in their true identity.

BUILDING A PRACTICAL MINI-THEOLOGY OF SELF AND IDENTITY

Take some time to prayerfully draft your practical mini-theology of “self” by responding to these questions:

Who am I in Christ? What is my true identity? What identities are primary or secondary? Why should I be concerned about false identities?

example: God is… We are the kind of people who… It is most like us/me to… We/I will… We/I hold to…

What is the proper view of self? What is an improper view of self?

Why should I care about self? What is biblical self-care amid the tension of self-sacrifice?

Once you finish, share your responses with your mentor. Ask for feedback. Adjust your draft as needed.

Additional Resources for Going Deeper:

• The Believer’s Identity in Christ, by IBCC
• Father’s Love Letter
• Identity Theft, by Melissa Kruger
• Light Wheel Bible Studies, by TearFund
• Biblical Self-Care, by City to City
• Reevaluating Self-Care, by Wanjiru Ng’ang’a
• Known by God, by Brian Rosner
• True Identity, training by ThriveToday

WAYS WE CARE FOR SELF ON THE FIELD

Self-care on the mission field is often intentional, disciplined, and sometimes creative, adapting to local realities:

Preach the Gospel to Self: Preaching the gospel to yourself daily is vital because it continually grounds your identity in Christ, fuels your spiritual resilience, and motivates grace-driven obedience, reminding you of God’s unwavering love and forgiveness amid life’s challenges.

Develop Identity Statements: Reflect on who you/we are in Christ often with yourself and your people. It is good to remind one another who you/we are frequently.

Prioritize Regular Sabbath/Rest: Intentionally set aside a day for rest, worship, and non-ministry activities, even if it means saying “no” to perceived opportunities.

Maintain Connection with God: Ensure consistent, unhurried time in prayer, in Scripture, and in worship, distinct from ministry preparation.

Create Healthy Spaces: Establish clear boundaries between work and rest, ministry, family, and personal space. Communicate these to team members and local contacts.

Physical Well-being: Be intentional to eat nutritious food (even if limited options), get adequate sleep, and engage in regular physical activity (e.g., walking, stretching, sport).

Process Stress and Trauma: Actively seek out trusted mentors, supervisors, debriefers, or counselors (remotely or in person) to process the emotional and spiritual toll of ministry and cultural living.

Pursue Hobbies and Recreation: Engage in activities that bring joy and refreshment, whether it’s reading, painting, playing music, hiking, or connecting with nature. (See Many Beautiful Things)

Maintain Home Connections: Strategically connect with family and a sending church for encouragement, prayer, and a reminder of their broader support network.

Schedule Breaks: Take planned retreats on the field and periods away from the field for rest, debriefing, and reconnecting with God and people outside your normal context.

Caring for yourself and securing your identity in Christ is not a selfish indulgence, but a sacred responsibility. It is the stewardship of God’s precious temple within you, enabling you to glorify Him personally and serve effectively for the long haul among the unreached.