In the first chapters of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the Word gives us evidence of God's love for us:

GENESIS 1:26 (NIV, LASB)
THEN GOD SAID, "LET US MAKE MAN IN OUR IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS, AND LET THEM RULE OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, OVER THE LIVESTOCK, OVER ALL THE EARTH, AND OVER ALL THE CREATURES THAT MOVE ALONG THE GROUND."

MATTHEW 1:20-21 (NIV, LASB)
BUT AFTER HE HAD CONSIDERED THIS, AN ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM IN A DREAM AND SAID, "JOSEPH SON OF DAVID, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TAKE MARY HOME AS YOUR WIFE, BECAUSE WHAT IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. SHE WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS, BECAUSE HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS."

These are such great Scriptures because they let us know just how much God loves us-that He would give us charge over every living thing. Not only that, He also loved us enough that He sent Jesus down to rescue us from certain unending death!

So, why do we take ourselves for granted? Why do we not realize all that we are capable of as long as we have a God that loves us this much? Why do we beat ourselves up so harshly when we fail to accomplish a task we really wanted to achieve? Why do we believe those who try to convince us that we're not worth anything good? It's not just Satan, we do this to ourselves! Some of us even have a hard time accepting a complement.

"Hey, I like that dress you're wearing!"

"Oh, this old thing? Girl, I've had this forever."

I even know some people that could continue in debate with you. The more you try to build them up, the more they insist on tearing themselves down.

The footnote for Genesis 1:26, in the New International Version Life Application Study Bible, says:

"Knowing that we are made in God's image and thus share many of His characteristics provides a solid basis for self-worth. Human worth is not based on possessions, achievements, physical attractiveness, or public acclaim. Instead, it is based on being made in God's image. Because we bear God's image, we can feel positive about ourselves. Criticizing or downgrading ourselves is criticizing what God made and the abilities He has given us..."

Yet, we have a tendency to be what seems to be our own worst enemy. There are so many people who consider self-love (in any form) to be arrogance, but I think it totally depends on the form of self-love.

We should love ourselves enough to want to do God's will because it ensures that God will always look upon us favorably-especially when we get to Heaven.

We should love ourselves enough to take care of our bodies because living an active life-style, exercising and eating right help to keep us of sound mind and body. It effects how we feel about ourselves.

We should love ourselves enough to dig down deep within ourselves, especially in the midst of tribulation periods, and praise the Lord with all our hearts. When we can do this, in spite of all that may be going on in our lives, we carry with us a joyous feeling in our hearts which keeps our heads uplifted.

We should love ourselves because God first loved us.


Arrogance is when a person looks at all his material possessions and judges others based on their haves and have nots.
--If you don't wear this type of clothes, you're not good enough.
--If you don't make this amount of money, you're not good enough.
--If you don't hang out with this crowd, you're not good enough.

But arrogance is not self-love. People who feel they have to look down on others in order to make themselves look good do not love themselves.

What am I saying here?

First of all, look at all that God has given us? If He thought less of us why would He have given us so much responsibilty?

Second, if God thought less of us, why would He send His son down to be tortured on a cross and die for us? Especially after all the sins we have committed!

And lastly, if God does not think less of us, we should not think less of ourselves!

We should be kinder to ourselves. We should let ourselves know that we feel happy to be who we are because we KNOW that God loves us. We should appreciate and feel honored that He chose to make us in His image. We should be bubbling over with joy in our hearts because He loved us when we didn't deserve to be loved. We should no longer hang our heads and bog ourselves down with depression because of the challenges we have to face on a daily basis in this life. This life is temporary, but the life we have with the Lord is FOREVER! HALLELUJAH!!!

When we choose not to cloud our minds with questions about why God chose to save us and just spend as much time in His presence as we possibly can, praising Him and thanking Him, through good times and bad; when we choose to lay all of our situations before Him and trust that He will fix the situation without our help (after all, He knew what was going on in your situation before you did. And He has been handling it all along. He has had to remind me of this a few times.); when we choose not to trouble ourselves with the evil that others are doing and spend time making sure that our hearts are pure and that our minds are stayed on Him; when we choose not to feel bad because we can't afford to (and in some cases don't have the desire to) keep up with the Joneses and be content with what we have...

It is then that we will obtain inner peace.

It is then that our heads will be lifted, and we will no longer feel depressed in our hearts and minds about our lives.

Please, pray this prayer with me:

Dear Father,

I thank You for choosing to make me in Your image.
I wish to love myself better so that I can appreciate this precious gift of life You gave me. Help me to be kinder to myself so that I can be kinder to others. Father, I wish to glorify you in EVERYTHING, especially in how I take care of myself. Open my eyes, Dear Lord, that I may see all the wrongs I have done to myself. Cause me to change inside so that I can have a better outlook on life and be everything you want me to be. I will be sure to give you all the Glory, Honor, Dominion and Power in my life that You and You alone so richly deserve.

I ask these blessings in Jesus' Mighty Name! Amen!

Kathy,
I prayed that prayer too. I really needed to repent for having such a low opinion of myself. Thanks. How are you and your new husband doing?

Praise The Lord, Pax!

We're doing just fine! Thanks for asking.

I wanted to write a little praise report about how everything went. I suppose I'll be able to get around to it soon. I just haven't had as much time.

This is a wonderful article, Kathy. You have gifts in writing and encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to write it.

Praise God!

I agree in pray with you. Thanks Kathy for sharing the words from your heart. When we work for the Lord it is so awesome.I noticed that many people that we bring to the Lord need the truth. Gods Love never ends or fails. May the Lord continue to minister to your heart.

Hey Kathy,

To go with your wonderful message. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8,13. Very powerful, It talks about Love.

Ps. Read the message I left you on comming wedding.

God Bless your new family.

John Trevino

Giving all honor and praises to our uncomparable Father in Heaven in the name of his most precious son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Kathy, I thank you for allowing God to use you to send this message of encouragement to us. I have also suffered from a poor self-image, but I thank my ever-loving Father for showing me that I don't have to feel this way.

When God first started opening my eyes and allowing me to see just how much He loves me, it was a truly awesome and wonderful revelation. The enemy had me thinking that because of my sins, no one would ever appreciate or love me, especially God. He tricked me into not even loving myself. But we all know that the devil is a defeated liar!! Hallelujah!! The Lord continues to show me daily that He loves me and values me. Why else would He send such a Treasure to die on the cross for me if He didn't?

Kathy, you are absolutely right in saying that we make the mistake of dishonoring God when we don't love ourselves. We are made in His image and likeness, and if we love Him, we must rebuke the enemy and love ourselves. If God be for me, who can be against me? If I am made in His image and I confess that I love Him, then I should love myself, yes? I am not talking about pride, but about self-worth. If I am worthy of the love of the most high God, then I am worthy of love even of myself. Praise God!!

Please pray my continued growth in the Lord as I will for you. Amen.

"...but exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 3:13