I love Myself too much.

Did the title catch your eye?

I actually got the morning off and so I decided to spend some time in the Word and Bible Study. It has been a very eye-opening morning for me. I'm doing the study, "Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

One of the Lies today that really made an impression on me was the lie that "I need to learn to love myself."

Now, if you're like me...you read that and think..."Why is that a lie? Shouldn't we love ourselves?" I've lived 29 years believing that I needed to love myself more and that I my low self esteem came as a result of not loving myself enough. Boy was that lie shattered for me today as I read further. Here is a little excerpt from today's reading:


" 'You need to learn to love yourself,' is the world's prescription for those who are plagued with a sense of worthlessness. It has become a popular mantra of pop psychology and of a culture filled with people obsessed with finding ways to feel better about themselves.....



According to the Scripture, the Truth is that we do love ourselves - immensely. When Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, the point is not that we need to learn to love ourselves so that we can love others. Jesus is saying we need to give others the same attention and care we naturally give ourselves....



The reason some of us get hurt so easily is not because we hate ourselves but because we love ourselves! We want to be accepted, cherished, and treated well. If we did not care so much about ourselves, we would not be so concerned about being rejected, neglected, or mistreated....



Our malady is not "Low self-esteem," nor is it how we view ourselves; rather, it is our low view of God. Our problem isn't so much a "poor self-image" as it is a "poor God-image." Our need is not to love ourselves more but to receive His incredible love for us and to accept His design and purpose for our lives. Once we have received His love, we will not have to compare ourselves to others; we will not focus on "self" at all. Instead, we will become channels of His love to others."



This seems so basic yet so profound for me as I need to completely readjust my thinking. I've always almost prided myself on being a giver....but with such a distorted view of self, I think there are times in my life where I've really been a taker. Especially in relationship with others. If I am so focused on MY needs and I'm not confident of who Christ says I am...I am continually draining the people around me to try to fill me....and it's never enough.



But oh to have a hunger and thirst that is quenched by God when we actually lose ourselves.....for then....we will find it. Find Him, and find contentment.



I wrote Psalm 119:34 on my hand today to remind myself that I am who HE says that I am. Fearfully and wonderfully made.



Morgan