Love Yourself

If you've ever struggled with low self esteem, a big failure, anxiety, or depression (or anything related), you know how difficult it can be to see yourself in a good light.  You spend a lot of time blaming yourself and putting yourself down with thoughts like, "Why would anyone ever love me?" "I'm too much this or that", "I don't have anything to offer".  And many times, if you're struggling with self ruminating thoughts and putting yourself down, personal hygiene and upkeep takes a dive.  You can quickly slip into this dark hole that becomes very difficult to get out of.  And some Christian views don't help either.  Some of us are told that God is greater than us, that we shouldn't love ourselves because God comes first and foremost, etc.  This can be a very damaging message to many people.

This past weekend I was once again struggling with my anxiety, and it was pulling me fast into the hole mentioned above.  And, if I'm honest, I didn't really put up much of a fight.  And it was making it difficult for me to love or appreciate anyone around me, especially my fiancee.  Then God put lyrics into my heart from a musical I enjoy.  A man, still hurt from his break-up with his ex, tells her, "You'll never share your love until you love yourself".  This was confirmed by what I read in a book titled Waking the Dead by John Eldredge that explained that loving yourself and appreciating everything that God put into you and living from your whole heart actually brings glory to God.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own.  You were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies (NIV)".  Paul is speaking of sexual immorality here but I have to believe there is more to it than just that.  He says our bodies are temples, and we must honor God with them.  Is it honoring to God to sit on my but all day and indulge in everything unhealthy to ruin the body that He gave me?  Is it honoring to sit around and nit pick every negative detail of my so there is no sense of beauty to me whatsoever?  I have to think that the answer is no.  I'm not my own, I was bought with a price, so I need to take care of myself.  Proverbs 4:23 speaks of the importance of the heart of a person, saying, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (NIV)".  If my heart is empty of love for myself, how can it hold love for others?  And if my heart is empty, haven't I failed to protect it?  It sure is hard to do anything when your heart feels empty or sad.  We need to love ourselves, specifically, we need to love the person we are with Jesus.  Don't love the old self for it must die and it is worth nothing without Christ.  But the self who seeks to serve the Kingdom and holds the Holy Spirit within them, the self that loves and appreciates everything that God has blessed them with (body, soul, spirit, gifts, talents, interests, etc.), that self must be loved in order to love God and others.

With this new message in mind yesterday, I took the time to sit down and start playing the piano and singing again.  It's been a while because, with my anxiety, there's not a whole lot I feel motivated to do.  If only I could describe how my spirit came alive, the joy that filled me that had been missing, and the intense love for God I felt I would.  I felt like a whole new person as I taught myself a new song on the piano and sang, utilizing the talents and interests that God gave to me!  And then today God charged me with taking better care of my body, motivating me to make better choices in what I eat and creating an exercise plan for myself.  I realized how important it is to take care of my body for Christ.  I need a spirit of humble joy and love for myself in order for me to fully walk with Christ and love the people around me.

If you find yourself slipping into a dark and hateful hole I pray that God grabs hold of your hand and starts telling you how to love yourself.  Take some time to indulge in a talent or gift that God has given to you, make better choices for your body, do something that brings your heart true joy!  Loving ourselves in Christ and living out the full glory God intended for us is one of the greatest ways we can worship Him and show thanksgiving!  Love yourself, because believe me, you're someone worth loving!