Username of the writer: ArticleProf
A study done shows that for most of us, loving ourselves does not come as easily as loving our neighbors or rather the people around us.
But did you know that finding peace and love in yourself is as important as loving others? It frustrates me when someone tries to say that self-care is selfish because, as a matter of fact, if you do not take care of yourself, then you have very little to give others mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually. If you feel incapable of loving yourself and celebrating your own worth, the word of God is there to teach you how to love yourself and make you understand how God loves you.
The book of Mathew 22: 39 tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It is tough to love others when you do not love yourself. A broken pot will never hold water to quench another’s thirst. Again, in the book of Ephesians 5:29, the word tells us that no one has ever hated his body, but he nourishes and even tenderly cares for it just like the Messiah does the church.
In this modern era, people are constantly flooded or somewhat obsessed by other people’s seemingly “perfect” lives on social media. It is normal to compare yourself with others and feel inadequate, but the number of likes you get on Facebook or Instagram does not dictate how God thinks about you or how God views your worth. In God’s eyes, your charity, perseverance, and efforts to do good and help others are what makes you exceptional. Maybe these traits might not seem attractive, but know that no one is ever perfect. Jesus Christ sees the moments of quiet strength in you, and He will always love you for it.
We have all made mistakes which most of us find hard to let go of. Thoughts of regrets and guilt can damage your mind and even convince you that you are not good enough and you do not deserve to love yourself. It would be best always to strive to move past your mistakes and understand that there is no concrete reason to hold onto your regrets. We were created to make mistakes in this life, and we believe that that is the whole point of living. Our heavenly Father expects us to fall and pick ourselves up and try once more. We should learn from our mistakes and let ourselves grow, and be proud of our strength as God is Psalm 139:13-15 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.” God loved you while you were still in your mother’s womb, and He wants you to reciprocate this love by loving yourself unconditionally. The book of Proverbs 19:8 tells us that to acquire wisdom, we have to love ourselves and that those who cherish understanding will prosper.
This life was never meant to be a smooth journey, and it’s a time for learning and development. Most of us see trials as punishments, but that is not what they are meant to be. Difficulties are meant to help you learn by overcoming them. You have made it this far! You cannot imagine how God is proud of you. Christ sees your every struggle, your heartbreak, and every pain you have gone through. God knows how strong you are and experiences incredible pride in your courage and the resolutions that you make to keep pushing forward.
You are a child of God! This is a phrase that no one should take for granted. Can you imagine knowing that someone you admire or love is incapable of loving themselves? You can imagine their grief, despair, and loneliness. You can imagine how desperate you would be to comfort them and tell them that they are the most important, unique, and most loved. Now, that’s how God feels about you. God earnestly wants you to understand your true value and worth by reading His word and drawing closer to Him by asking for His spirit and through understanding and celebrating your place in this world that He has given us. Let’s say that you can start loving yourself just the way God loves you.
When I am with someone who struggles to love themselves, I like using this analogy: When you are on a plane, the flight attendant always talks about securing your oxygen mask first before helping your neighbor or rather others. This is because if you are not getting oxygen supply yourself, then you cannot be conscious enough to be able to secure anybody else’s mask. The same case applies to loving yourself. If you cannot love yourself enough, you cannot extend the love to others. Some were not valued like they should have been when they were young, and if this is the case, they do not know how to love themselves. Learning to love yourself is not easy if you have never experienced love during your childhood. Allowing others to love until you learn to love yourself might work and for this reason, let God love you until you learn to love yourself.
As I wrap it up, learning to love yourself is not easy, but it is vital. You need to be practicing your whole life to love yourself, and you will see how easier it gets the more you work towards loving yourself. Sometimes we need a helping hand to reach the point of loving ourselves. Maybe the reasons we struggle to love ourselves are deep-rooted in the past and need someone to help us walk through them. Imagine living a life understanding what God wants from you and not in the miseries of self-hatred. Philippians 4:13 tells us that everything is possible through God who strengthens us!
Originally posted 2021-11-13 14:08:23.
