crazy right?
everywhere you look, there's people giving you mental health advise. advise on your value, that you deserve this or that. words of encouragement and the cure to your feelings of sadness, depression, loneliness, unworthiness, and so on. feeling down is beyond common. everyone goes through periods of feeling discouraged and worthless. some of us, feel this all too often... almost like it never goes away. the mental health crisis is ramped and they're out there to convince you you're enough.
but is this wrong? is it a bad idea? frankly, good, honest people just want to help you, they want you to know you're loved, you're worthy of happiness, and that you're enough. but, no matter how many times people tell you... you don't believe it. I get it. I understand. I am there.
I have friends and family who tell me they love me and that I am worthy of finding joy and experiencing happiness, but it doesn't fix the problem. I still feel inside I am not worthy. I am not lovable. I am not enough. so, what is the solution? living in a way of feeling downtrodden and depressed, is no way to live. nobody wants to feel that way... so how do we combat that?
first off... it doesn't matter what people say, if you don't believe it yourself. the sweetest notes, texts, words, etc. from your closest and dearest friends won't matter if you don't believe it yourself. you have to believe you are loved and worthy to believe you are enough. and so, you have to tell yourself those things. you have to remind yourself you're loved, worthy, and enough. you have to make yourself lovable. you're worthy because Christ created you, and so you're enough. our value and worth can't be found in others, or even ourselves because we are flakey. our emotions can be everywhere, and we're not perfect. we make mistakes, we fail.
in an identity found in Christ, who is enough, we have an obligation to care and love ourselves. and love, not in a selfish or lustful way, but rather, loving ourselves is caring for our emotional and physical needs. it's fueling our bodies with food, giving movement to keep ourselves agile, and slowing down in prayer and meditation to keep our minds whole. we must value ourselves, and love ourselves as Christ loves us. I heard it said once, that "loving yourself isn't thinking of yourself more, but rather, thinking more of yourself". meaning- we aren't fixated on our every aspect, but we value and respect ourselves. loving yourself starts with liking yourself, which starts with respecting yourself, which starts with thinking of yourself in positive ways. for in Him you are worthy, beautiful, chosen, precious, loved, fully known, valuable, redeemed, and forgiven. there is freedom when your worth is found in Christ. there is value in us through Christ. and we are enough, because He is enough and He created yomediatation
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