Do You Love Yourself?
Most of the Christians I talk to don't have too much trouble believing God loves them. They believe Jesus loves them. They may not be quite so certain about the Spirit!
God's love for people is no secret. It isn't a hidden or complicated doctrine. It is one of the most simple and beautiful things in all of Scripture.
God loves you.
Okay.
But do you love yourself?
This is where more people struggle. There are a lot of people who struggle to look at themselves in the mirror and be happy with who they see.
In some circles of Christianity there is a negative anthropology - the sin of man (some saying even from birth - which I don't agree with) can be a major obstacle for us seeing ourselves as valuable and lovable. Original sin overtook being made in God's image and that is a shame.
Yes we know God loves us and so it would make sense that we would love ourselves but sometimes we don't. Some don't like who they are much less love who they are. Maybe it is how your life turned out or difficult circumstances, or even poor decisions on your part. Maybe you feel like a failure.
Do you love yourself?
If not, why not?
The One who made you knows you infinitely. He knows more about you than you know about yourself and He loves you all the way. If our hang up in loving ourselves is that we know too much about ourselves to see ourselves as lovable then let it sink in that God knows more about you than you do and He is still crazy about you!
He wants you to be crazy about yourself as well. Not in a boastful way but in being able to recognize the value and beauty God put in you to make you, you.
God wants you to love yourself. Jesus nearly commanded it in the second greatest commandment - love your neighbor as yourself. Put another way, love your neighbor the same way you love yourself. That means you must love yourself! God wants you to love you. God wants you to see yourself as He sees you - lovable.
So look yourself in the mirror today and see someone looking back who is infinitely valuable in God's eyes and, maybe in time, in your own eyes as well.
You are loved