Counsels on Self-Identity

Counsel #5 — It’s All About Love

Picture: Counsel #5 — It’s All About Love CI 86.1

Picture this: You wake up feeling a little lost, a little unsure of yourself, so you ask God to give you some of His confidence. You look in the mirror, expecting to view yourself through the lens of self-doubt like usual, but instead, you see your reflection bathed in warmth and acceptance. That's the power of having self-esteem rooted in God's love — it’s always available. His love is always there to comfort, strengthen, and guide you. CI 86.2

It's not about bragging or needing constant validation from others. It's about knowing, deep down, that you are unconditionally loved by Jesus our Creator.^[84] No matter what life throws your way, that love remains constant, a secure foundation for your self-worth. CI 86.3

“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39 CI 86.4

“Our grasp on [Jesus] may seem feeble, but His love is that of an elder brother; so long as we maintain our union with Him, no one can pluck us out of His hand.” Ellen White in That I May Know Him, p. 80 CI 86.5

Reflect: Do you typically estimate your self-esteem by acts of validation or by the degree of personal achievements you obtain? How does understanding God's love as the foundation of your self-worth change that dynamic? CI 86.6