Self Love part 3

  1. Exercise regularly

This one goes hand in hand with the above follow a healthy diet recommendation. Exercise doesn’t have to be a long gym workout or 60-minute exercise class. In fact, even just 20-30 minutes of exercise a day can be beneficial. It’ll help your mood which in turn will help you feel better about yourself. After a quick search I didn’t find any Bible verses that specifically mentioned physical exercise (although I’m sure there are some somewhere) but this (exercise/being healthy) goes back to treating your body as a temple.

  1. Seek counsel from a pastor or leader

God will not be mad if you need to talk with someone else. Sometimes praying on our own isn’t enough and we need help from those around us. That’s alright! And it even says in His word that where two or three are gathered He is there with them (Matthew 18:20). Our pastors, elders, and leaders of churches are there to minister one-on-one too.

Sometimes taking care of yourself and accepting Gods love means to reach out and ask for help. Besides, gathering with someone or a few others for prayer and ministry is a wonderful way to soak up God’s love.

  1. Forgive yourself

We know the importance of forgiving those who have hurt us and not carrying resentment or anger towards them. God’s word even says that we’ll be forgiven if we forgive others who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:14).

So, doesn’t that mean we need to forgive ourselves too? Sometimes we’re going to give in to the self-hatred, not feeling satisfied with what we have and comparing ourselves to others, negative self-talk, and more. But accepting God’s love mean that we forgive ourselves when we do these things and move along. Can you do that? Don’t you deserve to do that for yourself?

  1. Join a Bible study

Again, one of the best and easiest ways to accept God’s love is to immerse yourself in His word. Joining a local Bible study is a great way to do this. Not only that, but it’s a good way for you to get involved and get to know others on a more personal level – even more important if you attend a large church and it’s hard to make connections just by attending Sunday services.

  1. Volunteer

If you can sign up to volunteer within your church – helping in the office, taking care of babies, playing with toddlers, leading kids church, ministering to the youth, being a door greeter on Sunday, etc. – that would be ideal. Because after all, how else to embrace and accept God’s love than to be of service to Him within His place of worship? But if not, any type of volunteer activity is a fantastic way to get outside yourself and stop focusing on you/your problems.

Remember, loving those around you as your neighbor is one of God’s commandments. Volunteer work is a fun, but sometimes challenging, way to not only show love but receive love too.

These nine tips are merely suggestions. You can choose one or two to focus on and start there. Maybe none of these things mentioned appeal to you. That’s ok too. Create your own list. Come up your own ideas of ways you can let God love you even when you don’t love yourself.

I promise you, you can’t immerse yourself in God’s love and not eventually start loving yourself too.

Don’t ever forget who you are or who you belong to. You are God’s handiwork just like it says in His word:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV

He loves you unconditionally. He doesn’t expect you to be perfect. He made you for a reason and has a plan for you. He knows you’ll make mistakes and sin along the way, he knew that way back when He created you! But that didn’t stop him, did it?

Knowing how unconditionally loved you are, how he has a plan and purpose for your life, doesn’t that mean you should show yourself a little compassion, grace, and self-love too? After all, you are worth it!

If you need some more encouragement, check out these Bible Verses:

  1. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV
  2. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 NIV
  3. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NIV
  4. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
  5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 NIV
  6. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

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