Hennie Symington

Of course we would not dare to classify ourselves or compare ourselves with those who rate themselves so highly. How stupid they are! They make up their own standards to measure themselves by, and they judge themselves by their own standards! As for us, however, our boasting will not go beyond certain limits; it will stay within the limits of the work which God has set for us, and this includes our work among you.  2 Corinthians 10:12-13

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with ourselves. So many of us simply cannot make peace with whom and what we are. When we look in the mirror we see the signs of ageing and the scars of life carved out in our faces. Sometimes we find it hard to accept the kind of person we are – perhaps we feel we’re not smart enough, not hardworking or ambitious enough or not caring enough.

The problem is that if you can’t live with yourself, chances are you’re going to have trouble getting along with others. If you see yourself as just a shrinking violet or a prickly pear perhaps you should look at yourself through God’s eyes. God sees you quite differently. He sees you as a unique contribution to his earthly garden - one of a kind! So before you start doubting yourself again, study the following suggestions and try to apply them in your life:

Don’t downgrade yourself.

Stop thinking or saying negative things about yourself.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

Focus on your potential and not your limitations.

Be brave enough to be different.

Learn to handle criticism.

Don’t allow others be the judge of your worth as a person.

See your faults in perspective. No-one is perfect.

See yourself as a child of God.

Think and say good things about yourself even if it’s only to yourself because you know that God loves you – warts and all.

In closing I cannot but quote that time honoured cliché: God created you and he does not make rubbish.Think about that!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for focusing on the negative and forgetting that I was created in your image and that I am precious to you. Amen