I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get hit right smack in the “self esteem.” It is that place near my solar plexus that causes the wind to go out of my sails, and my stomach to hurt. I become a sitting duck for waves of negativity to roll over the sides of my mind, and cause me to sink into an ocean of despair.

At times like that, I know that I am NOT thinking about myself the way that my Heavenly Father thinks of me. I am looking at the works of my flesh, which are not perfect. I am allowing myself to wallow in how disappointed I am in me, and that’s never a good place to be.

And so I have two choices: stay negative or change my thinking. I’ll choose door number two. I need to renew my mind and think about myself according to my new nature, because that’s how God sees me. And He thinks that I am awesome! Not because of what I have accomplished, but because of what Christ has accomplished that lives inside of me. That part of me that is holy and without blame.

Recently, during one of those dark moments, I got quiet and turned my attention to the Lord to help me get out of my “funk” Here’s what Jesus said to me:

“Peg, the most Enlightened, Holy, Perfect Being in the universe loves you. Why don’t you love yourself?”

Since I didn’t have a good answer to that last part, I said, “Yeah! I do love myself.” I thought, “Who am I not to love what God loves? After all, He’s a lot smarter than I am.” And right away things started to change. My mood got lighter. Answers started coming, and all day I cherished the thought, “The most Enlightened, Holy, Perfect Being in the universe loves ME!”

What you focus on you become. And as I focus on the treasure on the inside, Christ in me, I become more and more like Christ. Nothing gets me down, and no problem is too big for me to handle knowing Christ is with me – and he loves me too!

God may use other words to communicate His love to you, but I am certain if you ask Him, He will respond in a way that touches your heart. Then hide those words in your heart, believe them, repeat them over and over to yourself with feeling, and soon you will once again be sailing victoriously on the ocean of God’s love.

May you have be the very best year of your life as you grow in grace, under the shelter of His wing.