Not Eliminated 

There are things that we know that we should and should not do towards people. We know that we aren’t supposed to hate. We know that we aren’t supposed to harbor resentment or unforgiveness in our hearts. We aren’t supposed to neglect. There is one individual that we eliminate from applying this to. The one that we look in the mirror everyday. 

Yep we have trouble forgiving ourselves. We may neglect our own well-being. We may reach the point of resenting or even hating ourselves. Yet we excuse it because we aren’t doing it to others just ourselves, yet.

You see the Word says thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Matthew 22:39 KJV).

How are we going to love our neighbor as ourselves if we hate ourselves? 

Hebrews 12:12-15 ISV 12 Therefore, strengthen your tired arms and your weak knees, 13 and straighten the paths of your life, so that your lameness may not become worse, but instead may be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up and causes you trouble, or many of you will become defiled.

Notice this starts with self care and attention to what is going on in your own life. Strengthen your tired arms and your weak knees, and straighten the paths of your life. You must do this so that your lameness may not become worse. How are we supposed to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting (1 Timothy 2:8 KJV) if we are angry at ourselves? If we don’t tend to these things our lameness can become worse. We will eventually disqualify ourselves from the grace of God and a root of bitterness will spring up. Because if we think this way about ourselves then we will begin to think that others and even God thinks the same. This will cause us to become bitter against God and others. 

Stop the cycle. Stop the unforgiveness. Have no hate in your heart. Don’t hate yourself. Forgive yourself. 

I have an assignment for you that won’t be easy. Go to the mirror and look yourself in the face and tell yourself this. I forgive you and I love you. God loves you and wants what’s best for you. 

Then live your life full of the love that you’ll have to share.

Ephesians 5:29 KJV For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: