Within the last few years, there has been a lot of focus on self. Self-love, self-care, selfies, not that there is anything wrong with exploring these areas. But I think as people turn inwardly, they are seeking refuge from the hurt and pain others have caused them. Some, like me, are realizing that our standards were too low and that we've never placed much value on who we are as we do for others.
What is self-worth? And how do you measure it? By definition, self-worth is another term for self-esteem. It is a sense of one's own value as a human being.
Some measure their value on their accomplishments, academics, relationships, and financial status. Others measure their worth by the opinions and ideas of what others think of them. In fact, studies show that 87% of women compare themselves to images online. This proves that majority of us are measuring our value in some unhealthy ways.
In whatever way we choose to measure our worth, I think most of the time it isn't stable enough to help us see ourselves properly. After all, we live in a world that is unstable and always changing. Tomorrow you could lose your job and just like that your financial status has to start over. Your significant other could break up with you and leave you with a broken heart and lost plans. The opinions you value could say that they don't like you anymore and you're not attractive. If you've measured your worth and built your self-esteem on these things, essentially you can lose it all in a moment. But does that mean you lose yourself and that you're no longer important?
Never. Your self-worth and esteem should never be determined by the response of others nor should they be based on the way the world turns. Both are extremely unstable and the Bible calls it sinking sand. I don't know if you believe in a higher power, but your worth and value were already determined by God Himself. Jesus says that building your values on Him is like a solid foundation, not sinking sand.
This is what God said when He created everything in Genesis, "God looked at everything He had made and said that it was good. And He validated it completely." What does this mean? It means that everything and every person He made is excellent to Him and we are already validated. Validate means to affirm the worth of a person, their opinions, and their feelings. The God of this universe has already approved of you and says you are His and made you the crown of His creation.
So as you're thinking about your worth and if you're valuable or not, think about the One who made you. I believe the most important and missing piece to determining your worth is to find out why God put you here. Every human being has dignity and great value to God, but it's up to us how we respond to this truth.
To help you understand that solid foundation that Jesus mentioned, I put together a free 5-part course called In His Image that will help you understand God's plan for your life, how He has called you to rule and reign with Him, and what it means for your body to be a temple. This course will give you a boost in your self-worth and hopefully help you see others in a healthier way, too.
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