Self-Respect: Finding Value in God’s Love
by Debra Weiss

I like the definition of self-respect on Wikipedia. Self-respect: the knowledge of one’s own worth. For a long time, I wasn’t sure of my worth. In and out of bad churches, I’d seen Christians at their worst. Disgusted, I’d turned away, opting instead to deny the existence of God.

The churches I’d been in taught me that I was defined by whether or not I completed a long to-do list of things that would supposedly make God happy. But I was miserable inside. I couldn’t live up to their lists and when I realized this, I felt like a failure. Truly worthless, that’s how I defined myself for three long years until I let God in.

I let the door to my heart open a crack, just a small crack. Then after some time had passed, I invited God into the foyer of my heart. He came in but ever respectful of my boundaries, he only entered as far as he knew he was welcome.

He never pushed. He never prodded. He loved me where I was and I began to see that love at work around me.

Slowly, I stopped letting my worth be defined by the rules others had forced on me. Instead, I chose to be defined by God.

Now that you’ve heard my story, let’s talk about your story. I know there’s probably a self-help expert out there who thinks that I should now ask each of you to write down all of your good qualities. But I’m not going to. You won’t find your worth, your value in lists. I didn’t.

But let me ask you a question: What are you letting determine your value right now? A list of someone else’s rules? Your addiction to pornography? The abuse someone else inflicted on you?

Whatever it is, God does not base his belief of your worth according to rules, your sins, or even others’ abuse of you. Maybe you’re not ready to open the door of your heart a crack to experience His love. Maybe you’re still afraid he’ll be like all of the other people in your life who’ve mistreated you.

If that’s you, then it’s ok. God still loves you. He still cares about your hurt. And He’ll still wait for that day when you open your heart just enough to let him in. Can I pray for you today?

Lord, Jesus I pray for each visitor to Real Teen Faith today. I pray that they would let you in their hearts and lives. I pray that you would help them to stop basing their value off of external rules, their sins, or abuses they’ve suffered and instead define their value by your amazing love. I pray that you surround each visitor with people who would walk this difficult journey with them in compassion and truth. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.