"Do You Love and Appreciate You? Here's Why It Matters"
God’s greatest gift to you … is YOU!
Without you, you do not exist.
God made you on purpose, with purpose.
You are not a random mixture of ingredients, but rather the culmination of desire, intent and planning – orchestrated by God. You are exactly what He thought of when He dreamt of you. He used your family lines, history, geography and circumstances to form you. You are His personal handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He has prepared in advance for you. (Ephesians 2:10)
Our two primary responses to God’s personal gift are to love Him with all that we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. (Mark 12:30-31) There are three love objects mentioned in this Great Command and Commission: God, others and ourselves.
In my faith circles, I have heard a great deal about loving God and loving others, but I haven’t heard much about rightly loving myself. Rather, such a thought has often been looked at with suspicion – as if it is a selfish and/or self-absorbed way to live. However, If I (God’s initial gift to me) am going to love God with all that I have, I best come to understand who I am, my capacities and what I have to offer Him.
Exploring ourselves, in God’s presence, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually is an expression of worship. It is like opening a present in the presence of the Gift-Giver. Understanding our strengths, weaknesses, desires and limits is an important aspect of God’s intent for us in creating us. He wants us to know what we have been given.
Coming to thankful terms with who we are – who God has made us to be – no more and no less – is a concrete aspect of loving worship.
Becoming thankfully self-aware is also hugely important in loving our neighbors well. Our self-understanding and self-love serve as the base of our ability to love others. The depth and health of our self-love and thankfulness to God determine the shape and fitness of our love for others.
When was the last time you expressed thanks to God for creating you?
How deep, careful, robust, creative and expressive was your thanks?
Growing in thankful self-awareness before God is a healthy daily practice. And, self-awareness as we love and serve others adds depth and authenticity to all that we do.
Consider asking God to help you be healthily aware of yourself all through your day as you love Him and others. Then reflect tomorrow on how it went.
With you,
~ Coach Tom
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P.S. ... If you are stalled in life, or particularly if you are in transition, here are three ways I can help you Get Clear, Get Focused and Be Fruitful!
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