“Self-care is the wisdom to ensure, as far as humanly possible, a wise and orderly work that conserves and lengthens a pastor’s ministry. It means understanding the meaning of positive health and working toward it as a way of ensuring that we will remain effective in the great work God has given us to do.” – Peter Brain, Going the Distance
“自我关顾是一种智慧，确保我们在人类的能力范围之内，确保牧者的事工可以保持、延长所采取的智慧、有序的工作。这意味着理解积极健康的意义，并采取行动，保证我们可以有效地担当神所赐予我们的伟大工作。” – Peter Brain, Going the Distance
We continue our core values series on personal wholeness by reflecting on our self-care, the second primary theme for leadership resilience in fruitful ministry. While there may be hesitancy or cynicism with the idea of self-care, the reality is that “the more your life involves you giving yourself away to others, the more necessary is self-care.” (Thabiti Anyabwile). The authors of Resilient Ministry found that self-care depends upon the connectedness between these five elements:
我们继续我们关于全人健康的核心系列，反思自我关顾的主题——有效事工中弹性领导的第二个主要主题。尽管有人会对自我关顾的想法感觉不快或有所怀疑，实情是，“你的工作越涉及到倾注生命到别人身上，你就越发需要自我关顾。”（Thabiti Anyabwile). “弹性服侍-Resilient Ministry”的作者们发现，自我关顾依赖于下面五个要素的交互：
Spiritual Self-Care asks where pastors derive their identity and sufficiency – from their position in the church or from their position in Christ. This dimension of self-care requires personal spiritual disciplines in the Word and prayer, not just for sermon preparation, so that pastors practice what they preach. (1 Timothy 4:6-8) With 40% of all pastors saying that it is somewhat difficult to find time to invest in their own spiritual development, this is a critical issue. (1)
属灵的自我关顾要求牧者们通过他们在教会里的地位以及他们在基督里的地位，确立他们的身份和充足性。这一维度的自我关顾要求我们在神的话语和祷告上的个人训练，并不仅仅是为了预备讲道，而是为了让牧者们实践他们所宣讲的信息。（提前4:-8) 大约40%的牧师说，他们很难找到时间发展自己的灵性，而这是一个严重问题。(1)
Pace your life. Acknowledge your limitations. Don’t be too slow…you have a stewardship to account for (Mt 25:14-30). Don’t be too fast…we’re called to plant and water for our joy, but God makes it grow (1 Cor 3:6-7). We have to do life andminstry as humans, which means we cannot be everywhere at once (omnipresent), we cannot know all things (omniscient), and we cannot fix everything (omnipotent). Those things belong to God. – Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor for Anacostia River Church (2)
保持生活的节奏。承认自己的局限。不要太慢……神有工作交托给你（太25:14-30). 不要太快……神呼召我们喜乐地栽种和浇水，但是神自己让种子长大（林前3:6-7）。我们必须以人的方式来生活和服侍，也就是说我们不能同时出现在所有地方（全在），我们无法知道所有的事情（全知），我们不能解决所有的问题（全能）。这些事情是属于神的。- Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor for Anacostia River Church (2)
Emotional Self-Care involves working through four key identity issues: personality, family of origin, the distinction between role and person, and comparisons to others. This process may involve a close friend or a counselor. (Philippians 4:11-12, Ephesians 4:26)
情绪的自我关顾涉及四个关键领域：人格，原生家庭，角色和人格的区别，以及与他人的比较。这个过程可能需要亲密朋友或咨询师的帮助（腓立比书4:11-12, 以弗所书 4:26).
Relational Self-Care involves having a support system of strong, safe friends who can help and hold you accountable and who love you enough to tell you when you are wrong. This includes various levels of friends both in and out of your local church as well as your peers in ministry. (Proverbs 17:17, 27:17)
关系的自我关顾涉及有一个坚强的、安全的朋友支持系统，可以帮助你，监督你，足够爱你而告诉你做错的事情。这包括不同层次的朋友，教会成员或其他牧者（箴言17:17, 27:17）。
Physical Self-Care engenders ministry fitness. With 76% of clergy listed as either overweight or obese, we must return to rhythms of regular exercise, healthy eating and rest, including regular days off, vacations, Sabbaths and sabbaticals. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 9:25-27, Proverbs 24:5, 31:17)
身体的自我关顾构成你事工的健康。美国76%的牧者超重或肥胖，我们必须重建有规律的锻炼，健康饮食和休息，包括每天下班，度假，安息日和安息年（林前6:19-20, 9:25-27，箴言24:5, 31:17).
With the exception of those who work in slavery-like conditions, chronic overwork arises from a disbelief in God’s provision and attempts to take matters into human hands. (3)
除了强制奴工之外，长期过劳都是因为不相信神的供应，希望把一切掌控在人的手中所造成的。（3）
Jesus rested. Jesus regularly got away and sought the Lord. Why do we think we don’t need to? Most of us run hard and all day long, running on empty until we breakdown where we are. And we begin to equate that as “productivity” and “hard work” when really we’ve been dminshing in productivity all the while. – Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor for Anacostia River Church (4)
耶稣也休息。耶稣定期离开众人，寻求神。为什么我们觉得自己不需要这样做呢？我们大多数人成天匆忙奔跑，徒然发现我们连已有的也丢失了。当我们以为在“提高产量”和“努力工作”时，我们其实在破坏我们要生产的一切。 – Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor for Anacostia River Church (4)
Intellectual Self-Care is important because it is possible for pastors to fall into intellectual ruts and not be renewed in their minds. Dedicate time for enrichment reading, reflection, informal (leisure reading and interactions), non-formal (structured and intentional) or formal (classroom) education. (1 Peter 1:13) (5)
智力的自我关顾也很重要，因为牧者们可能会跌入智识的俗套中，不能更新他们的思想。花一些时间广泛阅读，反思和吸取信息（娱乐性阅读和交谈），非正式（结构化或有意识的阅读）或者正式的（上课）教育（1 Peter 1:13) (5)
Remember, self care is not selfish. It is a way to address the disintegration in our lives and to stay fruitful for the length of our lives.
请记住，自我关顾不是自私。这是检视我们生命中不正直之处，一生多结果子的方式。
思考题 Reflect
- What would help you value self-care more, even in the midst of expectations, exhaustion, and excuses?
- 即使处于各种“期待”、疲惫和借口之中，什么可以帮助你更注重自我关顾的价值？
- What have been your levels of frustration, depression, and dryness this past year? What can help you manage them well?
- 过去一年里，你的挫败感、抑郁和干枯到了何种程度？你怎样可以调整的比较好？
- To what extent are my needs for connection with others met? Who are my true confidants?
- 我和人交往连接的需要在何种程度上得以满足？谁是我真正可以信任的人？
- What is one bad habit that you would like to replace with a new routine toward better physical health?
- 为了保持更健康的身体，哪一项不良习惯是你希望改变的？
- In what areas would you like to pursue professional development? What would you hope to learn?
- 你希望在职业的哪个方面有所发展？你希望学习什么新的知识？
参考文献
(1) Barna, State of Pastors 2017
(2,4) Thabiti Anyabwile on Self-Care, message at MTF Twin Cities event
(3) Rest & Work, Theology of Work （这个项目已经部分被译为中文。我是中文翻译的主编。）
(5) Self-Care notes adapted from ncdefca.org