I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. PSALM 139:14(NKJV)

You have to believe that you are a marvelous work, and that God crafted you piece by piece, atom by atom, ON PURPOSE–and that He did a good job. You have to believe that, when God created you, He gave Himself and the world a good and perfect gift.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Jesus said you must love your neighbor “AS YOURSELF.” You can’t love your neighbor “as yourself” if you don’t love yourself at all. Recognize that God has entrusted you with stewardship of yourself. God has given you one person, and one person only, to steward from the age where understanding begins, for your entire life. That person is you. YOU are responsible for YOU.

And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” MARK 12:31(NKJV)

God doesn’t want you to say bad things about yourself; He wants you to love and respect yourself so you can love and respect others. God loves us unconditionally, and since God, who is perfect, loves us, then surely, we can love ourselves. We all make mistakes and want to change, and we should work with the Holy Spirit toward those changes, but through Christ we can love and value ourselves even while we are imperfect. The better you get along with yourself, the better you will get along with others. If you have a bad attitude about yourself, it will affect all of your relationships because you cannot give away what you don’t have in you already.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).

You are of more value than many sparrows. We have to esteem ourselves the way God does. We have to treat ourselves the way God does. And yes, we have to love ourselves the way God does. You can’t love what you don’t esteem, and you can only esteem yourself the way God wants you to if you see yourself the way God sees you. Remember you are valued and precious to God. Refuse to speak negative and unkind words to yourself, be patient with yourself and give thanks for your life every day. Believe God has a plan and purpose for you. Treat yourself with care and compassion. Forgive yourself like God forgives you and accept what you can’t change. Pursue your dream and do something you were created to do.

Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank you for helping me receive your love for me. Help me to see myself through your eyes. Teach me to love and respect myself, so that ultimately, I can love and respect others, amen.