Love Must Believe You Are Worth It

We live in a society where we are constantly either measured by others and their standards, or we are measuring ourselves to standards which are unrealistic and often unattainable. We often find ourselves wishing we could be someone else, rather than just being content with who we are and how God made us.  In other words, we struggle with loving ourselves.  We are all guilty in some shape or fashion...whether it be physically, intellectually, emotionally, financially or any other attribute which we may be falling short in comparison to those we know personally or those we only see on the big screen or television.  WHY? Why do we sell ourselves short, and struggle with loving ourselves for who we are just as we are.  We all have shortcomings; and we all have faults...yes even those we want to be more like or wish we were.  We are all special in our own way, and loved by those around us...but most importantly by a loving Father in heaven.

But this drives me to my next thought, which might just come across once again controversial, but you know me and that's just how I roll.  I may not be right, but it is a possibility even if people don't want to admit it to themselves.  I wonder as we have just celebrated Easter, which embodies the death, burial, and most importantly the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, that those who choose not to believe in God or Jesus just can't fathom that someone could possibly love them that much to die for them? And I can admit, it is often very difficult for me to understand and comprehend.  I would die for my family, but total strangers...I don't know :/  Or is it the idea that there is something greater which we can't see, touch, smell or hear; and yet is beginning and end, has the ability to control everything we can and can't, or is it simply a lack of self worth?  I realize I may take some heat from this, but I just felt like I would throw it out there.  It's hard to believe God can still love the killer, love the rapist, love the druggie, love the abuser, love the thief, love the pedophile, or love the sinner like me.  We all are sinners, we all make mistakes...some of us a little or a lot bigger than others; but sin is sin in the eyes of God.  But yet He still thinks we are worth it! And how do I know?  I believe He allowed His Son, the Son of God, to be crucified for my sins, your sins, and every one's sins or wrongdoings from the beginning of time till the last person breathes their last breath! Now this is where the REAL love comes into play, so let me explain a little further.

You know how bad you feel when you do something you know you shouldn't have done...or lets say think of the worst thing, or top ten bad mistakes you have ever done wrong in your life which not only hurt you but those around you.  Now, I will go out on a limb and assume most of us haven't done much in the way of killing, abusing kids, or some of the other top sins when we categorize them, but many many people have over the course of the last however many thousands of years.  Now tally up as best you can all sins, big or small from EVERYONE who has ever lived so far...now add those who are yet to live with their sins big or small.  Now remember how you felt just reliving your worst sins and how you felt completely heartbroken and hurt, disappointed and completely consumed with self-loathing over your sin.  NOW think how it must have felt for Jesus to take on not just the pain of the physical death itself on a cross after all of the beatings, but to take on the emotional distraughtness of every ones sins from the beginning of time until the end of time!!! Basically incomprehensible to the human mind how that must have felt.  Now...THAT IS LOVE!  And He obviously thought you were worth it! He, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, felt your pain, your sorrow, your unworthiness, and took it on to pay your debt! There is no greater love which will ever be displayed, EVER!  Now go look in the mirror and tell yourself, you are worth it, you are loved, and just as you are.  Stop comparing yourself to others, love yourself...then Smile and just move on because you are worth loving...imperfections and all!