How You Choose To Appreciate Yourself

by Olga Hermans

 

We have each been uniquely designed for a specific purpose. We all have different personalities, gifts, skills, talents, preferences and experiences. God doesn’t want us to be a robot or a clone of someone else. That is one big reason for us to embrace who we are and love, and accept the masterpiece He has created each of us to be.

As we grow from childhood into adulthood, we go through different experiences, some positive and some negative. It doesn’t matter how and why we go through some of these experiences, God can use them all. He can make a message out of the biggest mess and a testimony out of our tests.

These experiences help to shape and mold us into the people that we become. As we grow and develop as individuals, we gain a concept of who we are and what we were created to do and achieve. It is so very important that we gain a concept of who we are. We need to love ourselves unconditionally to empower us to live a genuine life.

Choose to appreciate yourself. The moment you look in the mirror, you should be aware that you are looking at one of the best people you know. It is important that we know ourselves better than we know anyone else; our flaws and all. We should be able to see ourselves as unique and exquisite individuals, empowered by God to succeed in every area of life.

We were wonderfully made by a loving God who does ALL things well. He purposely made us for a time such as this. There are others that look a lot like you and play some of the same roles as you, there is only one you; and only you can do what you have been created to do.

When you know and love who you are, it will give you the ability to live freely. Choose to take time to appreciate the gifts and talents of others. But also, take time to discover and develop the things that you are good at and interested in. It helps you to nurture and cultivate your abilities. Strive always to be the best you can be for yourself as well as for others.

We need to be able to relate to others and enjoy their company; we must learn to do so without being oppressed when give their opinions. There is a word for that oppression: “people bondage”. I remember the time very well that I was allowing fear of what others would think of me to stop me from discovering and accomplishing all that He has created me to do.

I am so glad and thankful that God helped me out of that struggle. Although there are times when it tries to return, I remind myself that I am free. Through this self-realization, I was able to make a quality decision. I had to make a choice; either I was going to remain the insecure person I had been for years, or I was going to be secure in who I was. I chose the latter and started to move towardd self-acceptance and self-love and started focussing on fulfilling my God-given purpose.

We are only capable of seeing where we are today, but God is able to see the bigger picture. He already knows when, where and how we will make our mark in the world as we yield to His plan of self-acceptance and self-love.

Being true to ourselves and allowing God to use us where we are, positions us to be true and genuine vessels, which He can use in even greater ways