It is our nature to let our circumstances or the opinions/expectations of others determine our self-worth, instead of basing it on who God says we are. Think about it…we allow people who are as flawed and fickle as we are, determine our value. Please read that sentence again and let it soak in. How sad is that?
It begins when we are small children and the kids at school, even preschool, can accept us or make us feel like an outsider. Middle school can escalate poor self-worth as all students try to fit in and figure out who they are. Not making the team again, being made fun of, causing you to feel like you’re on the outside looking in brings more isolation or acting out in negative ways. High school issues continue the pattern when boy-girl relationships become a factor. Students go in and out of relationships at a rapid pace and with every breakup, a piece of an adolescent’s self-worth and value is chipped away. These hurts are escalated if there are problems at home.
Another issue is a child’s father leaving the home and barely communicates with the child. To the child, they feel abandoned and may be thinking, “Even my own father didn’t love me enough to stay!” This is especially true for little girls, whose first “love” relationship is with her daddy. If her father has walked out of her life, she will usually try for the rest of her days to “fill that void” by trying to find the relationship with guys that she so desperately needs. The issues of trust, abandonment, and betrayal come to the forefront of a child’s existence as she grows into an adult. How different her life would be if she had a loving and healthy relationship with her daddy, felt protected by him, was provided for and truly felt valued by her own father. Millions of children live without a father in the home in America today. What a shame for an entire generation! What a difference it would make to these same children if they realized that God made them, says they are beautiful in His sight, gives them special gifts and talents and loves and accepts them just the way they are. Their idea of a father has been tainted forever.
What is the faith background of your family as you were growing up? Did you go to church regularly, occasionally or not at all? Did your family even believe in God? What were their thoughts on Christians; imperfect as we are?
What do you believe in? Do you have those beliefs because your parents did or have you taken them as your own? Do you believe the Bible is the Word of God? What has God done for you or have you noticed? Who is God to you? These are questions we all wrestle with sometime in our life, depending upon what’s going on. Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? What does that mean to you? Maybe you have never taken that step of faith. Whatever the case, He created you, sees you, knows you and He has never taken His eye off of you. He wants to have a loving relationship with you. God has a purpose for you and this purpose remains the same no matter how your circumstances change throughout your life. He didn’t cause the problems you have had in your life, but He was always nearby to help you through them if you were to ask Him.
THIS Father will not walk away, hurt us, yell at us, abuse us, ignore us or treat us like we are nothing. THIS Father does not keep records of all of our mistakes and bad decisions. THIS father truly loves and values you for exactly who you are. You don’t need to be perfect to come to Him.
If you don’t believe in Him or don’t know if you do, tell Him that and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. The truth is that He knew you would be sitting here right now reading this blog. He knows you want healing from hurts of your past. He is here.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6,7