Practicing Self-Compassion As A Christian
Self compassion practices can be a part of a therapeutic process to help clients gain more awareness about how their language towards themselves impacts how they view themselves. Christians might be more weary about practicing self-compassion due to potential fears of it becoming prideful. Some fears that could come up with practicing self-compassion might also include being selfish for acting in self-compassionate ways, or fearing that after becoming self-compassionate that we may forget to turn to God for our anxiety and struggles. However, it might be more comforting to know that we can hold both self-compassion and be strong in our faith in God. This article will talk about some misconceptions of self-compassion and some tips in cultivating self-compassion that align with our faith.
Origins of Self-Compassion Work?
One of the reasons why Christians or other religious individuals could be cautious about self-compassion work is due to the origins of it. Self-compassion also spans a wide variety of different theoretical perspectives and models that therapists use. To pinpoint one specific origin to compassion work is likely not to be found. Some might believe that origins could be similar to Buddhist practices. In reality, self-compassion can be applied and mentioned in different spiritual and religious practices. We can lose the value and importance of what can be gained for our spirits when we have a narrow lens surrounding self-compassion. It is important to do research to see if something is appropriate to your faith but also just as important to see how your faith incorporates elements of what you are looking for. You don’t have to practice self-compassion in ways that don't align with what you believe in. But throwing out the concept completely may not be a good idea either.
Where In The Bible Does Self-Compassion Come up?
The Bible talks about compassion and self-compassion throughout. One of the most direct Bible verses about self-compassion comes from Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God chosen people, Holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Another one comes from Proverbs 19:8 “The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.” Practicing understanding of ourselves and others comes from a place of love and wisdom.
How to Start on Your Path of Self-Compassion?
Now after reading more into self-compassion you may feel like you are at the point in which you would like to start on your self-compassion journey. Know that not just one thing will be helpful to you as you begin working through this. Having a church community can be helpful for you to pray with as you discover more about yourself and what you would like to work on within this. Therapy is a great way to not only learn how to cultivate self-compassion but understand the history as to why self-compassion has been so hard to have for you. Therapists are trained professionals that utilize techniques that are researched to help individuals reach their goals. If you are unsure how a therapist could help you here at Inward Counseling we can help with getting you scheduled to do a consultation call with one of our therapists. After the consultation we can match you with a therapist that is appropriate for your situation and needs. Here at Inward Counseling, we know that there are individuals that have had poor therapy experiences or are brand new to therapy all together. We strive to be as supportive as possible to our future clients and are more than willing to answer any questions or concerns that you may have about getting started. Reach out to us today.