Loved

Our culture is fairly obsessed with self-love, and I heartily agree that we need to acknowledge the great importance of our relationships with ourselves. Who spends more time with you than you do, after all?

We also need to realize the power that both hate and love hold. Hate and fear literally kill us, opening the door to disease and pain; on the other hand, love literally heals.

One thing I know is that I am not capable, in my own power, of giving love to myself unless I understand this truth: I am wonderfully made, I am perfectly loved, I am precious, I’m worthy, I’m free.
It can be really hard to believe that these things are true sometimes, because the story I tell myself and some of my life experiences don't agree with them. 

But if the God of the universe– who created me– says that these things are true, then what is there to be gained by my arguing? Doesn’t He know? Didn’t he make me that way?

So it’s my Father who empowers me to give love to myself and everyone else with His own love.

Do you know that His immense love speaks the truth about you, too?

Do you know that you occupy all His thoughts?

That you bring Him unspeakable joy?

That He feels all your hurts?

That the fruits of the Spirit that grow in us are actually how He treats us?

Here’s a healthy boundary: that we look at and treat ourselves with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; and that we recognize and disallow us to treat ourselves with criticism, shame, mockery, guilt, or punishment.

You are SO loved. ❤️

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatian 5:22-23

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:17-19

Jesus answered, "The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30-31

The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3 

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken," says the Lord who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. 

Ephesians 2:4-5 

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16