I MUST LEARN TO LOVE ME!
Well, hello again friends and fellow readers! Yes it’s me, and I’m back to share a few more nuggets with you.
I hope that you are encouraged to love yourself more. I was watching a documentary one evening when all at once I had an ah-ha moment! Do I really love myself or am I waiting for that someone to validate me! Really!! Do I even like me? What a sobering thought that was. How do I even see me?
What I saw in some of my sister girls were pretty clothes, and attention from the boys, as well as being smart and that made me withdraw further within myself. As a young child I saw myself as fat, not very pretty, unlovable, and not liked. I was shy and introverted. My mama used to say, Barbara hold your head up and stop looking down. She did not realize how sad I felt. If they couldn’t see my face or look into my eyes they’d never know. I did what I could to shine in the classroom. I was by no means dumb, I just seemed to lack the confidence to excel.
In the 22nd chapter of Matthew verses 37-40, Jesus replied, “'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. When you seek to obey that second commandment, how do you love your neighbor as yourself when you are having a hard time with the yourself part?
So, I pondered that, and I had a little talk with myself first, and then I thought about God’s love for me and how I was growing to love him more and more each day. Then as His love and Presence enveloped me it gave me what I needed to love my neighbor.Love is a verb, which means that it requires action. It means that we perform some action that conveys our feelings for someone or shows our desire for something. As I grew older, I just wanted someone to see me and love me. That meant allowing my vulnerability to be seen and releasing my fears in order to receive the love. I needed a lifeline and I had to find it within myself. It was then that I remembered that my greatest encouragement had to come from inside. There is a song that our choir sings, Encourage Yourself, so I must begin to do that.
My Affirmations to Me:
I am loved.
I am grateful. I am smart.
I am kind.
I am compassionate.
I am worthy.
I am deserving of happiness, love, health and peace.
I AM ENOUGH.
How awesome that this revelation has come to me at this time. At this time when we are about to celebrate the one who has shown us the greatest love of all. He stretched His arms out on that old rugged cross and died for you and for me. No greater love! No greater love!
His love for me is a reminder that, because He showed me His love, nothing in my life is so bad that I can’t love me too. The Bible says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Therefore, I am bathed in love!
Well, that’s it for this time my friends. We’ll talk again later, but in the meantime, I wish you love, joy, peace, and happiness. Until then may you be blessed! ~MUCH LOVE!
“If you ever want to love someone, love yourself unconditionally first.”~Debasish Mridha
BARBARA G.