How Do You See Yourself?

by Joyce Meyer Do you like yourself? After years of trying to help people emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially, it was a major breakthrough when I discovered that most people really don’t like themselves. Some of them know it, while others don’t even have a clue that this is probably the root of so many other problems in their lives. God wants us to have great relationships, but self-rejection and even self-hatred are the roots of many relationship problems. In fact, I’ve found the Bible to be a book about relationships, providing valuable advice about my relationship with God, other people and even myself. How are the relationships with other people in your life? What about your relationship with God…and even with yourself? Did it ever occur to you that you have a relationship with yourself? While I’ve never given it much thought, I spend more time with myself than with anyone, and it’s vital to get along well with me. Remember, you are the one person you never get away from. We all know how agonizing it is to work day after day with someone we don’t get along with, but at least that person doesn’t come home with us at night. We can’t get away from ourselves, not even for one second, so it’s of the utmost importance that we have peace with ourselves. Many of us fall prey to self-rejection because we feel that nobody really loves us or accepts us. We figure that if nobody else loves us, then why should we love ourselves? Because we think others don’t love us, we feel that we must not be worth loving. But that’s a LIE we’ve believed for way too long! We should love ourselves—not in a selfish, self-centered way that produces a lifestyle of self-indulgence, but in a balanced, godly way that affirms God’s creation as essentially good and right. We may be flawed by unfortunate experiences we’ve gone through, but that doesn’t mean we’re worthless and good-for-nothing. We must have the kind of love for ourselves that says, “I know God loves me, so I can love what God chooses to love. I don’t love everything I do, but I accept myself because God accepts me.” We must develop the kind of mature love that says, “I know I need to change, and I want to change. In fact, I believe God is changing me daily, but during this process, I will not reject what God accepts. I’ll accept myself as I am right now, knowing that I will not always remain this way.” Many times people who reject themselves do so because they can’t see themselves as good, proper, or right. They fail to see themselves the way God sees them—as precious children He dearly loves. As you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes—someone who’s loved and cherished—your view of yourself will begin to change. You’ll begin to see yourself not as rejected, but as loved and accepted…unique and beautiful in His sight. http://www.joycemeyer.org/OurMinistries/EverydayAnswers/Articles/art33.htm

Paraprosdokian

A paraprosdokian (from Greek "παρα-", meaning "beyond" and "προσδοκία", meaning "expectation") is a figure of speech" in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax. For this reason, it is extremely popular among comedians and satirists. Examples: I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience. I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's on the list. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening', and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish. I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks. A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don't need it. Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "If an emergency, notify:" I put "DOCTOR". I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it...so I said "Implants?" Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet? Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy. Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America ? Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice. The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas! Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back. Hospitality: Making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were not. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. I discovered I scream the same way whether I'm about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot. Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure. When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water. You're never too old to learn something stupid. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever. A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. Laugh a little :)

Integrity

Integrity is a trait that grows with you. It is a conscious effort to live right, do right, and constantly maintaining the drive to practice what you preach. One of my mentors would often say "when you make a declaration about something, you either believe it or you don't. If you don't, dont' fool anyone; and if you do, then live like it". Integrity has been defined a few ways: as a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations and outcomes; it is also regarded as the quality of having an intuitive sense of honesty and truthfulness in regard to the motivations for one's actions; it is also the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. The way you carry yourself completely depends on what you believe in and what your morals and convictions are. As righteous women, it is essential that every move we make is keyed into what we value in life and the principles we desire to live by.

Invite Him In

There is a famous scripture that many people have heard in the context of an invitation to know Christ, as Savior. Rev 3:20 (Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in)". God does not force Himself upon us. He is quite a gentleman :) He knocks, and waits for us to ask Him in. There is an initial step, the first step of this, which we call salvation. We hear Christ knocking and we open our hearts to Him as Savior. It is the first turning. But the principle of this "knocking and waiting for permission to come in" remains true, well into our Christian life. We all pretty much handle our brokenness in the same way - we mishandle it. It hurts too much to go there. So we shut the door to that room in our hearts, and we throw away the key....but that does not bring healing to our souls, not at all. It might bring relief - for a while but never healing. Usually, it orphans the little girl in that room, leaves her to fend for herself. The best thing we can do is to let Jesus come in, open the door and invite Him in to find us in those hurting places. He knocks through our loneliness, through our sorrows, through events that feel too close to what happened to us when we were young - a betrayal, a rejection, a word spoken, a relationship lost, He knocks through many things in our lives, waiting for us to give Him permission to enter in. The question is, will you let Him heal you? Will you give Him access to your broken heart?