Low self esteem is often the result of feeling unloved or unworthy. When we feel like we didn't win the approval of our parents, siblings or friends growing up, we can often struggle through life looking for the approval that we feel that we need. Feelings of self doubt and low self worth plague many people today and can often be the reason for unhappiness in life. You can find yourself in a place in which you have drifted from job to job, or marriage to marriage, relationship to relationship, without finding the approval that you desire. Alot of times we look for love in the wrong places. We marry someone that we aren't compatable with, just to have somebody. We empty a whisky bottle, just to have some fun or peace of mind. Sometimes we can be in a relationship with a good person, yet, still feel unsatisfied and unhappy. In times like that we wonder 'what is wrong with me?' And our self esteem falls farther still.
The Bible says, greater love hath no man, but that he lay down his life for his friends. The roman cross was a means of capital punishment in the days of Jesus. We have capital punishment today in the form of lethal injections. Could you imagine giving someone today the sentence of capital punishment though they hadn't committed a crime. In the days of Jesus, the crime of the person was to be posted above the criminal so that all would know what crime they had committed. The sign above Jesus' head said, KING OF THE JEWS, this was the only charge they could bring against him, because he had committed no crime. The bible says, 'without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.' The blood of Jesus is the sacrifice that rids us of the guilt of our sin. Do you know how much that God loves you? He gave his only begotten son for you. It is one thing to give yorself to save someone, but, it is harder to sacrifice your sons life to save another. How much does Jesus love you? He stretched out his hands from one side of the cross to the other and said, "I love you this much."
We evaluate our self worth, and sometimes we feel worthless. Do you know how much you are worth to God? When Jesus came to this earth he knew there was NO WAY he could live without you! Imagine someone that would look at you and say, "I can't live without you." He gave up his life, so that you could be made one with God, so that you could have a relationship with him. He wasn't willing to live without you, that's how important you are to him. He would rather die on the cross than to lose you. He gave up EVERYTHING for you, and even today he is still saying, "All you who are weary and heavy laden come unto me, and I will give you rest." He didn't die for only the beautiful people, the important people, the big people. You may feel worthless because someone treated you that way, but God is saying to you today, "I love you this much...and I need you, I can not live without you..."
Sometimes we feel like our problems are just too big. We can get to the place where we just stop asking for help, and we just live life unhappy, unfilfilled, thinking that no one really has the heart or the ability to help us through. We keep looking for that 'right' person that will come along and hold us and make everything better. God is saying today, "My arms are big enough to hold you." God can reach around this world with his saving grace, and not miss one person. He is reaching out to you and anyone that reaches back to him will not be lost. You are not so lost that he can't find you, He knows exactly what you need.
