A Gentle Reminder for Insecure Days: God’s Love for You is Unconditional

The concept of self-love in the biblical sense is difficult. God wants more than our thoughts to be consumed by separating the parts of us that we are insecure about—we were created completely by God. It hurts him to see you not so confident in yourself. But on the other hand, God does not want our thoughts to be selfish and our hearts to be proud. So how do you really love yourself as a Christian?

It’s all about balance, really. Scripture does not directly tell us to love ourselves because it is expected that self-love will happen automatically. I guess the Prophets never expected that there would be Candice Swanepoels, Gigi Hadid and Instagram models walking around the world today to make you feel bad about yourself.

But what it tells us is that we are expected to need to love ourselves in order to be fully human. And he does. Nourish, cherish and love your body and soul. God made them, and made them in his own image. He designed you and sculpted you and made you perfect just the way you are, and He loves you for it.

In fact, it’s the only opinion that really matters. If you spend your time thinking about stretch marks and blemishes and acne and you spend your time grooming your face and putting your clothes together properly, are you spending enough time serving God? Or have you turned to a picture, a good and appropriate picture?

It is natural to fall into the trap of beauty standards in today’s world. As I sit here writing this article, I am guilty of it, too. My skin is spray tanned and I paid way too much money for the acrylic nails I write about. But back to that balanced thing I talked about- I’m sitting here again with my bed bent and no make-up on, and despite being thin my stomach is rolling a little over my shorts. I would worry about that. But I choose not to. I will work out later not because I am paranoid about my abs not being low enough, but because God wants us to feed and take care of our bodies.

I will do it to feel good. Loving me. Not because I made my body my idol. Self-love is freedom from the negative thoughts, guilt, and insecurities that hold you back. The more you look inward and love and care for yourself, the better you can be to others, and to God. As long as you are dissatisfied with yourself, you cannot devote yourself to God and serve other people. The famous verse of Mark says “love your neighbor as yourself.”

While it is traditionally used to remind us to sacrifice ourselves and love others no matter who they are, it can also be used to remind us to love ourselves and behave in a way that would be a friend.

The greatest lesson of Christianity is to love – to love everyone, including yourself. God does not want us to be proud or arrogant in the way that He does not want us to regret. It is equally dangerous.

Self-awareness and self-love go hand in hand. Know exactly who you are, and come to God with your faults and sins in your hands and ask for forgiveness and help in putting them aside and getting better.

See yourself as God sees you as imperfect, because we are only human and fall easily into sin, but as forgiven souls who have been cleansed by the Lord and loved by the Lord. You don’t need to be reassured by the world that you are a beautiful and wonderful being. God already knows who you are, and He loves you more because of it.

In closing, I leave you with these words:

A successful life of faith begins with loving yourself.