The foundation of who we are lies in seeking the perspective of our creator, rather than the false gods we can make others into. But it takes a deliberate shifting on our focus.
When I feel tempted to rely on a person’s opinion of me, I try to put that energy toward drawing out what God is saying to me in that very moment. I may ask, Lord how do you want me to see myself right now?
Now, many of us feel it’s easier to trust in another person’s opinion than In God’s. It may be the same kind of thing children face when their mom say how wonderful they are and they say “You have to say that, you’re my mom.” Let’s keep this in mind though. As we said earlier, God knows us even better than our own parents. He is also unable to lie. Unlike human beings, He can’t stretch the truth. When he says we are inherently valuable and He rejoices over us. (Zephaniah 3: 17), it’s true.
And there’s more.
Once discovering what God says about us, we then have to turn it toward ourselves. It’s actually not enough to say “God accepts us full and says we’re important.” We have to agree with him-and tell ourselves the same thing.
We won’t appreciate the freedom of His truthful words until we believe them, take them in and say to ourselves, God values me, and therefore I value myself as well.” We have to start paying attention to how we talk to ourselves. Rather than just being pulled along by a flow of negative thoughts, we need to stand up to them. We need to say what God would say to us in those moments. If He has accepted us and thinks highly of us, if He loves us and hopes in us unconditionally, perhaps it’s time we did the same.
From Pity to Praise 