Diary Entry 21: Self-Love
Self-love must be defined. If it is not according to Christ then it is dangerous, however when you are in Christ then we must consider ourselves dead but alive in Christ Jesus. So we (self) are now in Christ
This is the faith that he has given us through the gospel:
He took all our shame and affirmities; He dealt with it on the cross so that we may be free from the power of sin, and now we live for Christ and His kingdom.
We are told that the kingdom of God does not come with observation but is now within us. So if we are to consider ourselves non-existent but only Christ is in us, then it is good to say that we should have self-love. Self-love in this case would we Christ-love. To expound, since Christ is our new life and we no longer exist, then to hate or doubt ourselves would be as if we hate or doubt God Himself.
This indicates that our minds are not renewed to His perfect love which casts out all fear, which includes hate, doubt and shame. To renew our minds to His perfect love gives us confidence, that as He is, we also are in this world.
So we are to resist the shame and persevere in Christ. To deny self and take up our cross includes resisting the doubts, shame and self-hate that may come so that we would embrace Christ within. To love Christ would mean to love ourselves, which is humility. If we loathe ourselves, the perfection of Christ is not real to us and we are still blinded by the prideful sin self (the old self).
We are told to resist the enemy (fear, doubt, shame, any evil…) and humble ourselves to God. This is humbling ourselves to God- to place our faith in His goodness alone (not ours). In His mercy He chose to abide in us as we abide in Him. Humbling ourselves to God has nothing to do with our own merit., but faith alone, for only faith pleases God. Faith alone is our humility.
Can we say we are walking in this type of humility where we have come to this full confidence of Christ within us? Can we say that we are not tripping up by our own failures and weaknesses that sway us from remaining steadfast in this faith, Christ within us?
If we love and are confident in Christ, then we are confident to love ourselves as we have loved Him; and in turn we will love others as we have loved ourselves- for it is in fact not we who lives and loves, but Christ Jesus in us.
When we come to this understanding then there is ALWAYS abundant hope for anyone in all walks of life- even for a mommy. We will begin to place priority on our dreams and desires because it is in fact the Creator of the universe within who is working for us to will and to work for His good pleasure.
The question is where is our mind and confidence at! Take hold of this type of self-love today!
