There’s a thin line between self-care and isolation—and I’ve danced on it like I was auditioning for “So You Think You Can Sulk”.

I remember a season when I was just done. Like turtle-level done. I wanted to climb deep into my shell, put away my phone, and only emerge for snacks and maybe a little Wi-Fi. I wasn’t just tired—I was misunderstood. Misquoted. Misrepresented. People had taken my words, sprinkled in their own seasoning, and served up something I never said.

My flesh screamed, “RETREAT! You need solitude!” But deep down, I knew it wasn’t self-care I was chasing—it was isolation in disguise. And isolation, my friend, is a liar. It promises peace but delivers disconnection and discouragement.

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV) warns us:

“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”

Ouch. That verse hit me like a holy wake-up call. I realized the enemy wasn’t just trying to make me tired—he was trying to make me quiet. Because a silent voice can’t share hope. A hidden light can’t shine.

Even Jesus pulled away to recharge, but it was always with purpose: to reconnect with the Father.

Luke 5:16 (NIV): “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Not to hide—but to heal and refuel.

So I pressed on. Shaky, weary, and maybe still a little salty—but determined. I kept showing up. I kept speaking truth. And every time I did, strength returned, purpose awakened, and the shell got just a little more uncomfortable.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us:

“Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

We were never meant to heal in hiding or thrive in silence. Self-care says, “Rest so you can return.” Isolation says, “Retreat and don’t come back.”

One restores. The other robs.

So if you’re feeling turtle-ish today, ask yourself:

Am I resting to reconnect—or retreating to disappear?

Let His presence be your covering, not the shell. 

ElevateHerLife 💗 S.A