Being a caregiver is an incredibly difficult situation to be in. Whether you are caring for an aging or injured loved one or someone that will always need some level of care, caregiving is an equalizer in humanity. It is an experience that can occur in your life at any age, at any time, to anyone. Caregivers are from every race, every nation, every level of education and every language spoken in the world.

I have learned as a caregiver, you must take time for yourself. This is easy to say and many times we know that it is the right thing to do for everyone involved. The more we are able to refresh ourselves, the better we will be to take care of someone. Even if this means five minutes of rest while your loved one is taking a nap. Look for those opportunities to rest your mind and your body. Let the dishes stay dirty or the clothes stay dirty a few minutes longer or whatever other chore you can work on instead of just resting.

What about those situations when there is no path to take time for ourselves. Ask for help. This is a tough thing to do sometimes – what if something happens while I am gone. What if during the hour I go for a walk, there is a need that the temporary caregiver does not know how to fulfill. We tell ourselves that it is easier to not have someone come in for a bit to help. Sometimes when we return from our break, there is more stress than before we left because things were not done quite right or the way we would have done it. There will be times when we have to adjust our expectations of others or even let go of some things being done a certain way. It is critical for you to take a break. This does not make you a bad person, an unloving caregiver or any other guilt trip that the enemy may try to put on you. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Take those thoughts from the enemy captive, dismiss them, they are not of God.

Let us pray. Father in heaven, thank You for Your love and Your wisdom found in Scriptures. Help us to take every thought captive that is not of You or from You. Sometimes, we get so weary, it is hard to resist the enemy, please fill us with Your strength and wisdom. Bless the caregivers and those being cared for. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.