I Am Beloved

 

For you [God] formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I wake, and I am still with you. (Psalm 139:13-18 ESV).

 

Continuing in our look at things that we may wish we knew then, one of those certainly is our depth of being beloved. It has been my experience through ministry with hundreds of different people of all ages that the one basic truth that provides the ability to both love God and love others is knowing that truth. So many people struggle with self-worth and often feel inadequate. We are eternally loved by God; and, hated by Satan, who is our enemy. We must remember that God’s creations are wonderful. And, of course, this includes each of us!

 

To draw strength and hope from this truth we should deliberately practice seeing ourselves through God’s eyes. Our reading today declares that God was intentional in His creation of each of us. The result of that creation is that we are “…fearfully and wonderfully made” (v. 14). Each of us is crafted with such specific intentionality and care by God, who loves us, that we can be nothing less than wonderful and awesome. This is the first and most important step in breaking free of the chains of self-doubt and criticism that the enemy assails us with.

 

I realize that self-love isn’t about arrogance or self-centeredness; it’s about acknowledging and appreciating the unique person God created us to be. Our sin nature and the lies of our enemy have convinced us that we are anything but wonderful and majestic. Yet, that is God’s declaration.

 

As we embrace God’s love for us, we find the strength to love ourselves. This self-love allows us to live confidently, knowing that we are valued and cherished. And by accepting ourselves, we can better fulfill God’s purpose for our lives and extend his love to the people around us. Loving oneself is a vital part of loving others; we cannot pour from an empty cup. Believe that you are beloved!