Encouragement

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Many people suffer from depression and low self-esteem. Sometimes religion encourages self-abasement. However, it is important to celebrate yourself. How does one do this?

1. Choose to be happy. Don't let anyone destroy your happiness.

2. Do fun things or things to look forward to. Celebrate a job well done, a goal realized, or a dream fulfilled.

3. Remember your victories, and write down what you like about yourself.

4. Know what you are good at and use it to inspire others.

5. Know your uniqueness and how you can contribute to making the world a better place.

6. Tell yourself every day that you are a person of worth and value.

7. Set boundaries emotionally and morally.

8. Share your victories and dreams with other people who you know are supportive of you and what you want to do with your life.

9. Be yourself, an original, and not a copy of what someone else desires you to be.

10. Continually forgive yourself.

What does the Bible, God's divinely inspired Word say about all of this?

All through scripture you will read that God loves you and has made forgiveness possible through Jesus' death on the cross. You are a person of value, otherwise Jesus never would have died for you. This means you should love and forgive yourself.

Each individual has a uniqueness created by God, and when a person accepts Jesus as their personal savior, they are also given a Holy Spirit manifested gift that can be used to impact the lives of other people. This makes them a person of value.

God wants people to live fulfilled lives with an abundance of peace, joy, love, forgiveness, grace, and purpose. For this to happen you don't have to allow other people or circumstances to rob you of these things. That is why you must set emotional and moral boundaries. John 10:10 says that Christ came to give you a life of abundance.

You have strengths and abilities and certain positive character traits.

If you are in depression or have low self-esteem, write down what you like about yourself, what you are good at, and make a list of past victories or things you have overcome.

David, in the Old Testament, knew his expert ability in using a slingshot, and used it to kill the giant, Goliath.

It's okay to celebrate yourself. The Bible says to love your neighbor as you love yourself. (Galatians 5:14) It also says to think highly of yourself, just not too highly. (Romans 12:3)

Celebrating yourself is not being full of pride. Neither is it an indicator of a lack of spiritual dependence upon God. You and I are sinners, but God has made our redemption possible through Jesus' death and resurrection. You can become everything that God created you to be. If you are already a Christian you have been given a new nature. II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

So, go ahead, celebrate yourself!

(John Livingston Clark gives life assessment seminars, called GETTING LIFE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, geared primarily to young adults. You may contact him via his email given in his profile.)

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