Learning to love yourself may seem simple. Self-love appears to be everywhere. A brief visit to Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook will prove this quickly enough. If public figures come across as arrogant or insensitive, they are more than likely labeled narcissists by the media. Society in general is so caught up in what is best for ‘me’ that we tend to forget that there are other people in the world who all deserve a little consideration from time to time.
As much as this obsession with self has seen a marked increase in recent years, it’s true to say that not everyone is as taken with themselves as it may at first appear. So what do you do in a world where everyone else thinks they’re the bee’s knees and you don’t even like yourself?
Different sides of the same coin
Low self-esteem can take many forms. On one hand the person who doesn’t place any value on them self, withdraws from others, and is openly negative about who they are, could be suffering from self-loathing. Conversely, low self-esteem could be what fuels someone to obsess about the way they look, spend money they don’t have and to make sure that they are never left alone to endure their own company.
Whatever it looks like, when you don’t love who you are, you make it very difficult for those around you to love you, no matter how much they want to. Finding a way to accept the person God made you to be, and learning to love who you are, is a vital part of being the best possible you there is. The Bible talks about the fact that Jesus came so that we can have an abundant, full, and flourishing life, but you can’t ever experience that if you are at odds with the person you are, inside and out!
A God’s eye view
You may think you’re unlovable, worthless, and hopelessly flawed. God, however, has a different point of view. The Bible talks about the fact that we are, all of us
“fearfully and wonderfully made”
You may argue that you are far from being perfect. Your nose may be too big. You may be too pale. Too tall. You may have a bad temper or have a less than genius level intelligence, but guess what, God didn’t say you were perfect. He said you were wonderful!
The truth is that everyone has aspects of them self that is less lovely or in need of change. Just because you’re not what you want to be, doesn’t mean you’re not worthy of love. The Bible tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love. He formed us and created us in the womb. If God feels that way about you how can you not see the value in yourself?
Masterpiece in the making
Learning to love who God made you to be may not be easy for everyone. For some people, appreciating and being grateful for the attributes and characteristics God blessed them with may take time. It’s a journey towards accepting the wonder that God sees in you but the Bible tells us that everything becomes beautiful in its own time and it’s just a matter of reminding yourself that you were made by God and He doesn’t make mistakes.
The best news of all is that even though we are loved by God just the way we are, when we give our lives over to Him, He begins a work in us to bring out all of the most precious and beautiful aspects. The Bible says that our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful the longer we know God and we become like Him. However, the only way to experience the transformation that the love of God brings, is by accepting the gift of His son Jesus. Only through Jesus can we know God and live in a place of real love and acceptance.