Before I begin, I'd like to say this: no matter who you are, or what you believe in (or don't believe in), I hope you stick around, because I'd like to share with you what God's placed on my heart, and what He's been doing in my life. And hopefully, you'll be blessed, encouraged, and inspired as you read this article.
The world is filled with an abundance of information concerning the importance of loving yourself. And the reason why--because it's true, and very essential, if you want to be whole and live a happy life. So with that said, I won't be sharing anything new with you, but instead, just a friendly reminder.
Yes, God loves us (every single one of us) but it's more than that. He's actually the substance of love itself: "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8.
The Bible is filled with scriptures pertaining to love: God's love for us, our love for Him, and the love we have for each other, or supposed to have anyway. And the scripture that comes to mind isMatthew 22:39. "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' How cool is that? Not only are we to love God and others, but we're to love ourselves, too. But how can you (we) do this without, you know, coming off as prideful, arrogant, and holier than thou? Well, here's something that may help.
1) Remember that we've all fallen short of the glory of God.
2) Ask Him to give you a heart of humility.
3) Abide in Him, and He'll abide in you.
And if you allow God to guide you, then you'll find that perfect balance of how to love yourself in a godly way--a way that's pleasing to Him. Because with God's kind of love, not only will it satisfy you--and make you whole--but others will benefit as well. You see, when God's love is involved, no one has to suffer or feel inferior. Pretty cool, huh?
Now that we've established God's unconditional love, and how we're commanded to love each other and ourselves, the next thing I want to talk about, is why some of us--including myself--struggle to receive this truth. And I'm not talking about a lack of knowledge and unbelief. Because believe it or not, it's not always the case. I'm talking about deep-rooted negative mindsets, trauma, hormonal/chemical imbalances, and the constant battle many of us find ourselves in everyday: the battle of low self-esteem, poor self-image, and no self-confidence, which equals: no self-love, or a poor version of it.
I could go on and on about all the different culprits that play a part in this, however, I think it'd be best to reveal the heart on my sleeve, sharing some of the things that I've gone through, as well as the things that are currently helping me to overcome them--with God's help.
To make a long story short, I know what if feels like to be raised by someone else besides your biological parents, bullied by jealous girls, betrayed by boyfriends, and even an ex-husband, wounded by family members and close friends (including other believers), a close call with death due to a drug overdose, teenage pregnancy, being verbally mistreated, and taken advantage of. All these things have imprisoned me with fears/phobias, anxiety, depression, and self-issues. And even though I've brought some of these things upon myself, some of them I didn't. But hey, that's life.
Although God is the only one who can ultimately deliver and heal me, my cooperation is still needed. In other words, I must partner with Him concerning my transformation and well-being. And that's what I've been doing over the past two years. He has shown me a holistic way to go about this, and even though this may not be for you, it certainly is for me. But before I reveal some of the things that are helping me, and perhaps can help you, there are ten keys that everyone can benefit from:
1) Believing that God really loves, accepts, and cares for you--John 3:16
2) Self-acceptance--Genesis 1:27 & Psalm 139:14
3) Self-love--Matthew 22:39
4) Doing your best everyday--Philippians 4:13
5) Taking one day at a time/living in the precious present moment--Matthew 6:34 & Psalm 118:24
6) Persistence--Matthew 10:22, Romans 5:3-5, James 1:4, 2 Peter 1:5-8
7) Self-discipline--Titus 1:8, Hebrews 12:11, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 2 Timothy1:7
8) Being grateful and counting your blessings--Psalm 118:1, James 1:17, Romans 10:12
9) And rewarding yourself whenever, and however, you see fit.
10) Don't take everything so seriously. Stay calm and laugh--Proverbs 17:22.
Well, despite of all my hardships, I am happy to say that God is working everything out for my good, while strengthening me everyday to keep pressing on, taking hold of all that He has for me: one day at a time (which, I admit, is not always easy. I tend to get impatient a lot, just saying.)
Anyhow, I told ya I'd share with you some of the things that are aiding me in the healing and transformation process. Even though I'm not a doctor, God is: Psalm 103:2-3. I'd like to point out one more thing, I don't know about you, but I've finally given up on understanding why some people receive miracles and some don't--that could be another article in itself. But what I do know, is that God is all loving, knowing, and powerful. And He can heal us in many ways. So, here are some ways He's been helping me, and all of them have to with self-acceptance and self-love.
1) Abiding in God (I do this everyday, the best I can.)
2) EFT Tapping--emotional freedom techniques (I do this everyday as well.)
3) Positive affirmations (Yep. This is a regular part of my day.)
4) Shiatsu--massaging pressure points (It's a must!)
5) Eating healthy: clean eating, organic, and kosher (I'm not gonna lie. I struggle with this. I guess you can say, I flirt with eating healthy.)
6) Exercising and being active everyday (I'm addicted. But I guess it's okay to be addicted to this, though, right?)
May you continue to receive God's love, because love really does conquer all!
~Hugs and kisses, Jannette Fuller~
Jannette Fuller is the author of the upcoming Ya Series: Ambrosial Acres. However, writing is not her only passion, she has a heart for those who are hurting, lonely, and who suffer from emotional and mental conditions.
You can visit her at:
http://www.jannettefuller.com/
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