Self-Worth: Discover Your God-Given Worth

January 2015

“I don’t even want to tell people what I do.”
“What do you do?” I asked.
“I work for a milk company. I cook cottage cheese.”

You might have been listening to Hope In The Night, our live 2-hour call-in counseling program, when Jim called. He was ashamed of being a blue-collar worker because he felt there was a stigma attached to it. His feelings of inferiority were amplified whenever someone asked him about his work. This seemed to happen frequently at church gatherings. As you might guess, Jim was struggling with more than just his job title – he was struggling with low self-worth.

But consider this: Jim had an Associate of Theology degree, and in addition to his job, Jim was going to college to earn a degree in psychology. Had he been working a more demanding job, he might have returned home after work each day too mentally exhausted to attend college night classes. Yet in spite of these achievements, Jim believed he was inferior.

As I pursued our conversation further, I discovered that Jim’s wife had divorced him and had often reminded him that she came from a better family than his … fueling his feelings of inferiority.

For many reasons, people fail to see themselves as having any worth to God, to themselves or to others.

The actions and attitudes of parents toward their children, for example, send strong messages about their value – not just about their value in the family but about their value as human beings. These messages stick like glue and carry lifelong implications.

Negative self-perceptions may also result from being devalued by other significant people in our lives, such as teachers, siblings or friends. Unless these perceptions change, self-worth worsens over time.

Whatever the contributing factors to low self-worth, they are held in place by wrong beliefs we’ve embraced over the years. How thankful to know that the low opinion we may have of ourselves can be overcome when we replace wrong beliefs with scriptural truth. Romans 12:2 tells us … “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Have you started to believe destructive lies about yourself?

Perhaps they play over and over in your mind: You are hopeless … ugly … inadequate … weak … not good enough. If that sounds like you, consider what God says about you.

• Even before you were born, God established your worth! He planned for your success and joy. In Jeremiah 29:11 we read … “I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
• Reflect upon what God says about your value in Luke 12:6-7 … “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” God also says … “The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6).
• Your true worth is not based on anything you’ve done or will do, but on what Jesus has already done. Without a doubt, He boldly expressed His love and firmly established your worth when He paid the ultimate price for you. John 15:13 says … 
“Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

At an auction, the worth of an item is determined by the highest price paid. Jesus paid the highest price possible when He willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins. He loves you that much! God Himself established your worth – and your value is immeasurable to Him. Therefore, you have every reason to have a healthy degree of self-worth.

Oftentimes I share with strugglers – like Jim – an impactful saying I heard years ago: “God don’t make no junk!” In an odd way, that is great theology. Why would God go to the effort of making you if He didn’t care about you and didn’t have a plan and purpose for you? Let the Lord transform how you see yourself. Let Him be the source of your joy. God values you … immensely.

Yours in the Lord’s hope,

June Hunt

P.S. Life is too short to allow others to control your happiness. In the New Year, choose to believe God’s truth about your intrinsic value.

If you’re on Facebook, I invite you to connect with me at Facebook.com/June.Hunt.Hope. And if you’re not, take it from me: You’re never too old to start! See you there!

For your convenience, you can donate to this ministry via our website, www.HopeForTheHeart.org.