The bible teaches us to love thy neighbor as we love ourselves. This is important because it exemplifies selflessness. Nonetheless, how can you love others, if you do not love yourself? I use to believe that we are beings who are naturally born to love ourselves. This can be somewhat true as we are not born to hate. Nonetheless, over a course of time certain life circumstances, environments, hurts, and disappointments can cause us to devalue the very essence of who we are.
How do I know this? I hit a rock bottom in my life where self reconstruction was imperative. The Lord basically told me, if I didn't heal, I would repeat the same mistakes over and over again. Which by the way, is the definition of insanity. At this point, I was willing to do anything to stop this pattern I created. What's even more funny, is I thought I was perfectly fine. Sure on the exterior my representative was very well trained. Yet, the real me was bleeding internally.
I remember one of my college professors stated, "If you stare at yourself in the mirror, who do you see staring back at you?" In other words who are you? As I began my process to wholeness, it was important to identify that I really was not happy with myself. I didn't love who I was becoming. I didn't love my choices or actions. I didn't love how I felt. I didn't like my outward appearance. Therefore, I overcompensated by purchasing clothes and material things, which ultimately became my addiction. I was lost simply because I lost myself.
This ultimately was the end of a new beginning in my life. As I obtained this epiphany, the light finally switched on in a dark place. At this point I was determined to find me again. To fall in love with me at my core which includes my past mistakes. You see my mistakes and failures did not define who I am but it only made me stronger, wiser, and humble. Humble enough to understand that we fall down but we get up. It was time for me be aware of the power that lie within. For I was planted, not buried, in order to rise above the ground.
I discovered loving me was loving the fact that I triumphed over so many obstacles. I began to love the very essence of who I am. The things that drive me, my passions, my motivations, my energy, my intellect, my gifts, talents, genealogy, culture, finger print, my DNA. There are so many complexities about a single person. Meaning we are all uniquely designed in manner that can never be duplicated, of course with the exception of cloning. Yet and still - You are an original.
Contrary to belief, when I started to love myself in this compacity, it was very simple to love others in this like manner. My entire worldview changed. It was at this moment that I discovered why my peers labeled me as fake growing up. I didn't intentionally exemplify this narrative. I just simply lacked self-love. It was Jesus who appealed and revealed to me the importance of loving the woman God created me to be. As he opened my eyes, I was able to see myself in a completely different manner. It's no wonder why Jesus is the greatest love of all- the G.L.O.A.T.
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