Self-love, self-appreciation, self-confidence. With so much self in these three terms, I would cringe writing this only a couple weeks ago. However, when you write these terms from God’s perspective, He wants us to know these three are a strong definition of what is meant by Christ’s words in Mark 12:30-31: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” If we truly love ourselves as Christ says, we have these three characteristics. It is not arrogant to possess these unless this is interpreted through the lens of man thinking all of this is about man. I have struggled all of my live trying to avoid ever thinking about these characteristics because of the condemnation I received from my dad any time I received an honor from doing something well. However, I’m now learning these characteristics are a natural state when we are obedient to God’s nudges through His Holy Spirit within us. When we see the good which comes from obedience it is not arrogant to sense the gratification. The confidence isn’t arrogant, but instead, it is knowing well the God we serve and trusting fully in Him to be the power to accomplish what He has put before us.

The inner voice of condemnation is gone. I haven’t heard it for over a week now and yet I’ve seen God working through efforts He puts before me. The kickoff of our Celebrate Recovery last night was a good example. One man told me that my passion to serve God has motivated him to do the same. He desires now to serve God passionately. He said he use to think that was “dumb”, but not anymore.

God is so AMAZING! What an honor and a gift it is to serve Him.