Self-Worth
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17
What is the difference between getting our self-worth from the world, and getting our self-worth from God? Self-worth from the world is usually based on our worldly success in life, while our self-worth from God is based on how God sees us.
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. (James 4:6) People who accept Christ as there Lord are humbled, but those who do not accept Christ as their Lord become their own gods and are considered prideful. A Christian’s pride is in Christ, and his identity and self-worth comes from God. Christians are humble because their hearts know that God has saved them through the sacrifice of his Son for our sins. God fills our hearts with his love, and we become humble just as Jesus was humble. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8) A humble Christian has his identity in Christ, which means he or she knows they are servants of God no matter how the world sees them or treats them. No one can take away our identity and self-worth in God. The higher our self-worth in Christ, the more humble and secure we become.
How do we become humble and identify ourselves in Christ? Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10) If we are truly humble, we find identity and self-worth in Christ, which means we live for Christ. The more we live as the Lord’s servants, being a Light in this world, the more we understand and know God, and the more we realize that we are not god. Life is more of God and less of us; this gives us a thankful humble heart, because we are grateful for his love that fills our hearts. The more love that flows through us to others, the more humble we become.
Being truly humble and being filled with his love, is how we were created to live. A humble soul is fulfilled, secure, and at rest. It is very difficult to hurt a humble person who is filled with the sacrificial love of God because their heart cares about others at their own expense. It’s a humble heart that motivates us to minister to others, and a humble heart that reflects God’s love to the world.
Today see your identity in Christ, and reflect his love to others, strengthening your humble and secure heart. As we reflect God’s love to others, his love increases in our own hearts and we become more humble and secure in Christ. The more love we have in our hearts, the more we identify with the Lord, and the more we understand his ways.
Let’s pray: Lord, help me to know that my identity and self-worth come from you; it is nothing that I can earn. Fill my heart with your love, and make me humble and secure. Guide me through the Spirit to be the humble and secure person you created me to be. In Jesus name, Amen