The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
“That was really stupid! How could you do that? And how could you be so careless?” Taking a deep breath, I exhaled, feeling despondent. Perhaps I should have said, “You have no right to talk to me like that.” But I would have been talking to myself.
Do you catch yourself in negative self-talk? Sometimes we would not speak to another person the way we talk to ourselves. Why do we do that? How do destructive thoughts like “I am not enough”, “I am less than”, and “I am not worthy” become embedded in our souls? Are they from previous failures or words others have used to pierce our hearts?
Instead of telling ourselves emotional fabrications, listen to what God says about us. God doesn’t see us the way we see ourselves when we’re caught in this negative spiral of self-loathing. God lavishes His love on us and calls us His children (1 John 3:1). God showed us His love for us in sending His Son to die for us so that we might have life through Jesus (1 John 4:9). God rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). God created each of us uniquely and endowed us with gifts, talents, and abilities. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses and loves us unconditionally. We don’t have to prove anything to Him as He has already proved His love for us long ago on a wooden cross.
If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). If the God of the universe loves us, who are we to not love us? God loves us and He created each of us uniquely. If we embrace who we are, faults and all, we no longer expend energy trying to be who we are not. When we can love and accept ourselves, and yes, even like ourselves, others are free to love and respect us as well. And we are free, in turn, to love and respect them.
The key verse for today says that God loves us with an everlasting, forever kind of love. Because of His great love for us, He shows us “unfailing kindness”. How do we love and show kindness to ourselves? The next time you find yourself in the middle of negative self-chatter, stop and ask yourself where these destructive thoughts come from. Be curious about where they started. The Bible says the enemy is the father of lies (John 8:44). Acknowledge to yourself that these are lies from the enemy and refuse to believe them.
When we grasp how much God loves us, we can stop the negative self-chatter and treat ourselves with kindness and self-respect. This means not judging ourselves harshly nor comparing ourselves to others. Set clear boundaries with yourself on what is not acceptable to say to yourself. Gently remind yourself of the lies driving the negative self-talk and the fact that God loves you and created you to be uniquely you.
We can be victorious. With the Sword of Truth (the Bible) in our hands and the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we can slay the dragon of negative self-chatter and can begin the journey back to liking, loving, and respecting ourselves. Cherish your uniqueness. Embrace who you are and live the abundant life God intends for you, free from judgment and disrespect, free to be you.
Lord, I am forever grateful for Your love for me. Thank You for Your unfailing kindness. May I show myself kindness and respect because in You, I am worthy. Thank You that I am Your precious child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Text and photograph copyright © 2017 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Gaillardia flowers amidst a field of Mountain Bluebells near Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
“That was really stupid! How could you do that? And how could you be so careless?” Taking a deep breath, I exhaled, feeling despondent. Perhaps I should have said, “You have no right to talk to me like that.” But I would have been talking to myself.
Do you catch yourself in negative self-talk? Sometimes we would not speak to another person the way we talk to ourselves. Why do we do that? How do destructive thoughts like “I am not enough”, “I am less than”, and “I am not worthy” become embedded in our souls? Are they from previous failures or words others have used to pierce our hearts?
Instead of telling ourselves emotional fabrications, listen to what God says about us. God doesn’t see us the way we see ourselves when we’re caught in this negative spiral of self-loathing. God lavishes His love on us and calls us His children (1 John 3:1). God showed us His love for us in sending His Son to die for us so that we might have life through Jesus (1 John 4:9). God rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). God created each of us uniquely and endowed us with gifts, talents, and abilities. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses and loves us unconditionally. We don’t have to prove anything to Him as He has already proved His love for us long ago on a wooden cross.
If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). If the God of the universe loves us, who are we to not love us? God loves us and He created each of us uniquely. If we embrace who we are, faults and all, we no longer expend energy trying to be who we are not. When we can love and accept ourselves, and yes, even like ourselves, others are free to love and respect us as well. And we are free, in turn, to love and respect them.
The key verse for today says that God loves us with an everlasting, forever kind of love. Because of His great love for us, He shows us “unfailing kindness”. How do we love and show kindness to ourselves? The next time you find yourself in the middle of negative self-chatter, stop and ask yourself where these destructive thoughts come from. Be curious about where they started. The Bible says the enemy is the father of lies (John 8:44). Acknowledge to yourself that these are lies from the enemy and refuse to believe them.
When we grasp how much God loves us, we can stop the negative self-chatter and treat ourselves with kindness and self-respect. This means not judging ourselves harshly nor comparing ourselves to others. Set clear boundaries with yourself on what is not acceptable to say to yourself. Gently remind yourself of the lies driving the negative self-talk and the fact that God loves you and created you to be uniquely you.
We can be victorious. With the Sword of Truth (the Bible) in our hands and the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we can slay the dragon of negative self-chatter and can begin the journey back to liking, loving, and respecting ourselves. Cherish your uniqueness. Embrace who you are and live the abundant life God intends for you, free from judgment and disrespect, free to be you.
Lord, I am forever grateful for Your love for me. Thank You for Your unfailing kindness. May I show myself kindness and respect because in You, I am worthy. Thank You that I am Your precious child. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2017 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Gaillardia flowers amidst a field of Mountain Bluebells near Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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