Know Your Worth

Meet Gummy Bear, don't ask me how he got his name, it's been that way for years. This beat up, old bear has been part of my family for over 34 years, and I love him. My kids weren't as attached to him as I was, but he still means a lot to me, so I kept him. I recently reconnected with my old friend, while cleaning out the garage, and couldn't help but to think about how much this bear truly means to me. I know right if I loved him, why would he be in the garage? Great question, I don't know. Even though he was in the garage, I still love this bear. He may not be worth a nickel at a yard sale, but I can't imagine ever getting rid of him. I'd be crushed, hurt, upset, I don't know maybe cry a little. Just the thought alone makes me a little emotional. My imagination went a bit further thinking about what if this was a Toy Story movie? He must have felt alone, sad, abandoned, worthless as a squeaky toy without his squeaker, just collecting dust. As insignificant as this bear is to others, he holds a special place in my heart, he is irreplaceable and priceless.

I was reminded recently that not everyone truly understands their worth; some even have a hard time finding it. An article in the Positive Psychology Program suggested one way to recognize your self-worth, is to remind yourself that "your value comes from inside, from an internal measure that you've set for yourself." Okay, I get it, how you feel about yourself is vital to feeling good and being confident. Nobody wants to walk around hating themselves all the time. But, I would have to disagree with that statement respectfully. Are you valuable? Yes, of course. All I am saying is that you cannot trust the measure of value you put on yourself; Self-value is a lie. The reason why I suggest this bold claim is because man's view of themselves changes like the seasons. There are so many secular self-love, self-appreciate, self-help, self-self-self-self-self books out there, but when it comes to what they truly think about themselves, it changes day by day. So instead of setting an internal measure of self-worth or value, why don't we remind ourselves, and each other, the value God already has for us; It never changes!

Do we find worth from other sources? Do we find worth in others? Our spouse? Do we find worth at work? Do we find worth from the church and serving? What happens when we try to find self-worth in other things besides God? Fear, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, depression, suicidal thoughts or tendencies, physical pain, spiritual and emotional stress, separation from people, from God, and His Word. Is it hard to get out of this? Absolutely. I know first hand how hard this is. It is NOT easy getting out of depression or accepting help from others. Sometimes we want to be alone and maybe scream out loud from time to time. But do not be stuck inside yourself, GET OUT! Do not trap yourself there! The more we do, the tighter grip the enemy has a hold on us. Talk to people that you trust, I know it is hard but take that leap; you will be surprised to know how many people care about you. Depression is dangerous and it can lead to a darker path. There is no shame in seeking professional help.

God established your value from the very beginning. People often overlook, ignore, forget, choose not to believe, or worse, never heard what God thinks of us. God set His value for you

when he said, let us make man in our image (Gen. 1:27). Can you imagine God telling you were created perfect, just like Him! You have value because God says you deserve to be cherished by Him. He goes even further calling you His precious child as 1 John 3:11 reminds us, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” What a feeling knowing God sees me with such love.

Even as a rebellious child, He still treats us with such mercy and grace. Even for the ones that are seeking self-worth by other means, God showed how much they mean to Him, “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Commentary from the Christian blog, Amazing Facts, said this, "The Creator of life loves you so intensely that He allowed His own Son to die in your place before you ever repented." Thank you God for loving me before I even knew you. Then in 1 Peter 1:18-19 Peter says we cost much more than any amount of money, “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold … but with the precious blood of Christ”. God said I will trade it all for you. Take my son, whom I love and well-pleased, so I can have you, my child, in my kingdom. Jesus willingly gave his life for us because God knew we were worth it.

When you start to feel worthless and rejected, remember God won't throw you away as others will. God will never replace you with something else, or trade you in for something "better". Lord, please forgive me for forgetting such truth. WOE TO ME for thinking I am worthless! WOE TO ME for thinking I could find worth from others! WOE TO ME for thinking that I am not enough! WOE TO ME for thinking that I am anything less than...His precious child. We are not worthless. We are not something that can be put on a shelf or tossed in a garage to be forgotten. No. He holds us in His hands and admires us with love-filled eyes when no one else can. Your true value is not in the eyes of others but in the eyes of the One who created you. He holds on to you because He doesn't want to lose something that is so precious to Him, so important. So you're a complete mess right now, maybe some stitching is coming undone, possibly being held on by that last thread, perhaps some stuffing is missing, that doesn't mean you're not valuable. You are worth everything to Him. If you're lost, does He not pursue you? Doesn't He call out to you? You are worth keeping; you are worth protecting; you are worth LOVING! You can not lose sight of that. I know during a dark time, it is hard to remember and remind ourselves of this, but His truths are constant. The enemy will continue to tear, break, separate, stomp you in the dirt, anything he can do, to keep you thinking you're worthless. But even with all the rips and stains, rejection from others...God sees you as valuable.