My sister and I send each other voice notes and then we simply talk from the heart. But we don’t usually respond immediately. Sometimes the other one’s reaction comes days later. Our conversations can sometimes take weeks. 

Lately, we’ve been chatting about what you think of yourself. My sister tells me that sometimes we’re too hard on ourselves. Sometimes we’re our own harshest critic and then we can really torture ourselves. 

And that’s true. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about something I said or did or didn’t do. Then I put myself down, with the net effect that my self-esteem crawls out the door. 

Then I’m lower than the floor. 

Mental health is so important. When you have an unhealthy image of yourself, you break your own speed. It’s like a handbrake is on and you can’t reach your potential. 

At times like these, we should look in the mirror and actually try to see ourselves through God’s eyes. We know that, but let’s say it to each other again and maybe you should say it out loud! God loves you and me so much that He was willing to let His own Son hang on the cross so that we don’t have to hang ourselves and pay for the things we do wrong. 

Maybe you should read it again out loud, so that your mind and self-esteem can hear it too. The Creator of the earth sees you. You are very special to Him. 

Perhaps we need to look at ourselves again, but this time through God’s lenses. We must strive to see ourselves as He sees us, recognising that He views us through the redemptive power of Jesus’ blood. Valuable. Worthy enough for Jesus to die on a the cross. 

“We must look at ourselves with gentle eyes,” says my sister. 

Do you think God would be interested in you if you were a mess? Do you think He would send His Son to earth if you weren’t really worth it? I suspect not. 

On the contrary, God values you so deeply that upon becoming a member of His family, He bestowed His Spirit upon you. It’s inconceivable that God would impart His Spirit to someone He deems unworthy or incapable of taking the lead. 

27Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught. 

Listen carefully to this. God thinks so much of you that He chose you for the special team. When God’s Spirit came to live in you, you became part of God’s elite team. 

God has big plans for you. Go find out what they are and make sure that your way of life fits in with God’s special team – and look at yourself with soft eyes. 

Scripture
1 John 2:24-29 

Reflection
How do you see yourself?
How should you look at yourself differently?
How do you have to live differently to fit in with the special team? 

Prayer
Father, sometimes I don’t take a good look at myself. Sometimes I break more than build myself. Help me see myself with kindness and be a good member of Your team. Amen.