Self-Worth: Man Made in God’s Image

Earlier, I wrote something to ease the discontentment of a Christian brother. I don’t know him personally (and not before this post), but I could tell he needed to hear it. I pray that it helped alleviate his pain. Thinking that it might help some of you who read this blog, I’ve decided to share what I’ve written in this “letter” to this unnamed Christian:

I feel you, brother. I too have had a life of emotional misery. Often I’ve imprisoned myself in a self-made cell over my failings and sins. At the darkest point of my life, I wished for death but didn’t want it. I craved an ending but I feared it. And then the Lord came and showed me His love. He shined a light in the darkness and my chains began to break.

Now, some might think that’s where the story ends. But any honest Christian will admit that knowing Him doesn’t magically transform life into an endless procession of rainbows, sunshine, and puppies. There are ups and downs, dark nights of the soul, where we become prodigals, doubting Thomas, and embrace the worst of ourselves, our sin, and the lying words of the enemy.

Thank God that our Lord Jesus perseveres in us. We are His. We can sink low, deep beneath the surface, but He is there. Pray, brother, pray, even when you’ve hit that rock bottom of life. Turn your hatred of your life and your existence over to Him and be made well.

But perhaps those words ring hollow. I know that platitudes don’t often light a fire in one’s belief. Although our circumstances are a little different, brother, I’ve been suffering a great deal of melancholy myself as of late. I’ve felt worthless, pointless, often to the point of wishing He’d take me home already so that I wouldn’t have to meander through my life’s problems.

But brother, I know He loves me. And He loves you. In what you’ve told me, you’ve described His very love for you. It wasn’t mere fear that kept you from sleeping with that woman – it was the will of God. The Lord saved you from making a grave and sinful mistake that might’ve sent you into a worse downward spiral.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I write this as much for you as myself. Again I say that we’re not so different. In fact, I think you’ll find that many of us, even those who might hide it best, suffer from this syndrome of feeling hated and worthless. The plight of Job isn’t reserved to only a few and neither are the lessons therein.

If you take nothing else from this post, then remember this Scripture (which I find always helps in my darker moments):

“Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

If you are in Christ, you are not condemned but loved.

“This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Peace be with you, brother. I hope this helps ease your discontented mind and brings you closer to Christ.

You can surmise from this that this brother wasn’t in the best of states. I won’t be too specific, but you can catch on that his plight entails a great deal of self-condemnation. I wonder if low self-esteem is a common factor in some Christians? I know that I’ve always kind of hated myself (before I knew my sin) in a way that isn’t healthy. Being a Christian doesn’t cure that feeling – not out the gate, I don’t think – but perhaps coming to know the Lord as savior and our worth as human beings is a big step in recovery.

I grew up fat. I didn’t start getting healthy and losing weight until 2012. Most of you probably know this from personal interaction with me or because you’ve read these posts before, but it’s not a secret that I was obese. Compound that with social awkwardness, introversion, and nerd interests and you have the perfect recipe for a disagreeable view of loathsome self-worth.

I thank God that He led my dad to care for me so that an exercise regimen soon became a part of my life. I have my off-days even now, but five or so years of regular exertion have kept me fit. Dropping from 256 lbs (if I recall correctly) to a range between 160-170 is no small feat and again I thank my biological dad and furthermore my God in heaven for that.

But the point of this post isn’t about my weight loss all those years ago. No, the point is the continued necessity to remember that we are made in the image of God. We are beloved. Those in Christ have a great Shepherd who brings them into the fold even when they go to the darkest depths. Don’t believe me? Scripture tells us:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.’ So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.” (Genesis 1:26-27)

The Psalmist (David, in this instance) declares of the sovereignty of God: “Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways.” & “For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:1-3 & 19)

Jesus tells his disciples: “Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid therefore; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)

Jesus instructs (while referencing nearby children): “What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the 99 on the hillside and go and search for the stray? And if he finds it, I assure you: He rejoices over that sheep more than over the 99 that did not go astray. In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14)

Take this reminder that you are not alone. You are loved by Him. You were created by Him. He brought your parents together. You were not an accident. You are not a mistake. You have worth, intrinsic value, because of the Lord your God. Step boldly, look in the mirror, and tell yourself God’s honest truth: I am worthy of living. Even more, believe: I am worthy of living a life in Christ – not by my own righteousness, for I have none, but by His grace and mercy, His sacrifice. Even when I am faithless, He is faithful. Amen.

Thanks and praise be to God for this post. I wanted to write something last week, but couldn’t muster what I needed to get it done. I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s entry and that it has been, at the very least, mildly helpful to those who suffer from their own lack of self-worth.

Godspeed, peace be with you, and let His love shine upon and through you!