A Biblical Look at ✨Self-Love✨

Let’s talk about ✨SELF-LOVE✨ from a biblical perspective.

Recently, I was on a panel where people asked questions about hot topics. The question: “How should Christians approach ✨SELF-LOVE✨?” got me thinking.

✨SELF-LOVE✨ sounds great & empowering & warm & fuzzy.

Later I realized: In our culture, when we practice ✨SELF-LOVE✨, it is often more like self-INDULGENCE.

Self-INDULGENCE sounds like:

▪️I’m going to eat this donut because I want to 🍩

▪️I’m going to buy this designer purse because I earned it 👜

▪️I’m going to keep scrolling because I feel like it 📱

▪️I’m going to give them a piece of my mind because I deserve respect 🗣

As I reflected on this, I began to feel personally convicted. Self-INDULGENCE is NOT godly & I am supremely guilty of justifying my self-INDULGENCE as✨SELF-LOVE✨.

Jesus says: To be my disciple you must DENY YOURSELF, pick up your cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24)

2 Timothy 3:1-5 states in the last days, people will be “lovers of self... having the appearance of godliness but denying its power.”

So where is the balance? What does godly ✨SELF-LOVE✨ look like?

I believe godly ✨SELF-LOVE✨ looks less like self-INDULGENCE and more like self-CONTROL.

Self-Control sounds like:

-I will drink more water-even though I don’t enjoy it 💧

-I will make a budget & stick to it 💸

-I will scroll less and read more 📚

-I will hold that comment in until I’m in a calmer headspace 🤝

These shifts may not FEEL like ✨SELF-LOVE✨ because we’ve associated ✨SELF-LOVE✨ with meeting our WANTS rather than our NEEDS.

Self-CONTROL requires us to focus on what is beneficial in the long-term rather than what is gratifying in the moment. This care for our present & future selves is not only loving, it is GODLY. Loving myself will often look like denying myself.

When we give up our “infantile indulgences” & pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace we become vessels of honor, able to be used by God for good works (2 Tim. 2:20-22 MSG).

I don't know about you, but I desire to be a vessel of honor!

Our human nature is to care for ourselves first. This is inclination is NOT inherently bad.

Ephesians 5:29 says "For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church."

This scripture helps me realize when I nourish and cherish (rather than indulge) myself, it is a reflection of how Christ nourishes and cherishes the church.

I know that I am NOT my own. I was bought with a HIGH price through the blood of Jesus. Now, I am a vessel for His Spirit to in-dwell (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Because of this truth, I should ALWAYS ask myself if my acts of ✨SELF-LOVE✨honor God.

My greatest mission in life is not to "love myself," "be true to myself," "discover myself," or any other such catchphrase.

The greatest commandment guiding my life is to love God with my whole HEART, SOUL, and MIND. This is an ALL-CONSUMING kind of love. The extension of this love is to love our neighbors AS ourselves (Matthew 22:37-38).

When I'm so wrapped up loving God and loving others, I truly believe my need to practice ✨SELF-LOVE✨will diminish.

I'll leave you with one last BEAUTIFUL verse of scripture that needs no explanation.

"And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." -1 John 4:16

Friends, I hope you feel challenged and encouraged to shift your perspective on ✨SELF-LOVE✨.

I am first in line to repent from self-INDULGENCE and lean into greater self-CONTROL. I know I will falter because #flesh AND because striving for self-CONTROL is countercultural. But, I know that I am more than a conquerer (even when it's me I'm trying to conquer)!

Let’s be governed by self-CONTROL rather than self-INDULGENCE and witness God unfold good works through us.

I’d love to hear how you will exercise godly ✨SELF-LOVE✨ going forward💬⬇️