Self-Image Archives - Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel

Kurt Steinbrueck July 12, 2021

Blog Christ-Esteem, Self-Esteem, Self-Image

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Self-Esteem vs Christ-Esteem

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139 13-14

How do you feel about yourself?

If you are feeling a bit down or rejected, if you feel worthless or useless, there is no shortage of books and videos out there to help you build up your self-esteem. Whether it’s positive thinking, words of affirmation, or surrounding yourself with people who build you up, self-esteem building has become a huge industry.

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog-gonnit people like me.”

The problem is all these self-esteem builders aren’t based on reality.

Just because you say you are good at something and convince yourself you are, doesn’t mean you really are. Just watch the tryouts of American Idol and you can see what I mean. Another problem is it’s all about your willpower to psych yourself up, but what if you just have a really bad day and don’t have the energy?

When God speaks, it is truth.

It is reality. When God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made, you are just that. He created you. He gave you life and He did a wonderful job!

This all sounds pretty nice. Maybe it makes you feel warm and fuzzy right now, but the times come when we see our failures and we see our sin and don’t feel so wonderfully made, or maybe we feel like we broke what God had made wonderfully.

In those moments, remember the promise of Jesus Christ. Through faith in Him, you are forgiven. God has declared you righteous and holy…

And so you ARE righteous and holy.

He has made you a new creation. This isn’t trying to avoid the truth, it’s sticking to the truth…the truth of God’s promises…even when we don’t feel it.

Rather than seeking our esteem in ourselves, let us seek it in Christ.

Let us also esteem others in Christ. I love and value you not because you think you’re worth it or because I think you are the cat’s meow, but because the Father has fearfully and wonderfully made you and Jesus has redeemed you.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for creating me and redeeming me. Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m worth it. I feel worthless and useless. In those times, remind me of Your promises…promises that You love me, You forgive me, and You have given me a purpose and place here to serve and glorify You.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Kurt Steinbrueck August 10, 2020

Blog Loved By God, Self-Image, Self-Worth

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More Valuable

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7

Have you ever felt like no one cares?

Cindy stared into the mirror. It had been a month since her husband walked out and she still saw the same thing. The same questions still swirled about her mind. Why? What was wrong with her? Who would want her now?

Cindy felt worthless, but this feeling couldn’t be farther than the truth.

The Sea of Life
Life has a way of beating us down at times. At other times it lifts us up. It’s like a seesaw and a merry-go-round all in one. When we look at ourselves and our lives for a sense of our value, we may feel great one day and worthless the next. There’s no good foundation, no anchor as we bob up and down in a raging sea of emotions.

The Solid Rock of Christ
God is not like our life. He does not waiver. Our value in His eyes doesn’t rise and fall based on how productive we are, how good our marriage is, or how obedient we are. He loves us and cares for us. We are immensely valuable to Him.

Why are you valuable?

You are God’s creation. He knit you together in your mother’s womb. He knows everything about you, even how many hairs are on your head. You are valuable because God values you.

Duckie
My daughter had a special stuffed animal growing up, Duckie. Duckie went everywhere with us and she couldn’t sleep without him. Once Melissa and I realized Duckie was the special stuffed animal we tried to find another, “just in case.” We found one and that other Duckie sat in waiting until the day it would be needed.

One night Kaylee got sick and threw up in her bed…and all over Duckie. He needed to be washed, but she needed her Duckie. It was the other Duckie’s time to shine. We snuck the original Duckie out and brought in his replacement. It took about 2 seconds before we heard,

“That’s not Duckie.”

“Sure it is, dear.”

“No, it’s not. Where’s Duckie?”

There was no convincing her. She knew without a doubt because she knew every inch of her Duckie.

In one sense, you could say Duckie was a $20 stuffed animal, but you would be wrong. Duckie was priceless. There were no other stuffed animals like Duckie. Duckie wasn’t valuable because of the materials used or cool features he had, but because he was loved. You are more valuable than many Duckies.

You are valuable because you are loved by God.

Instead of looking in the mirror to decide your value, look in the Bible. God’s Word doesn’t change and it says, you are greatly valued and precious, one of a kind…loved.

Heavenly Father,

You have created me and You love me. When I start to question my value or the world says I’m worthless, remind me of what You say.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

You’re Invited!

I hope you have enjoyed this devotion. I’d like to also invite you to join us for worship this week. Our services are casual and our people are friendly. We meet for worship at 11am at 27221 Foamflower Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544.

See you there!

Kurt Steinbrueck July 1, 2020

Blog grace, humility, Judgment, Self-Image

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With Sober Judgment

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” – Romans 12:3

How highly do you think of yourself?

How highly do you think of others?

Do you see yourself as better than others or less?

Some Christians think that they have to see themselves as less than others. They hear the call to humility as a call to low self-esteem. The admonition here in Romans 12 is interesting. We aren’t called to see ourselves as less, but rather as we really are…with sober judgment.

To be sure, we are to count, or treat, others as better than ourselves.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3

There is a difference between thinking of yourself as less and being humble and treating others as more significant. In the first, we deny our true value in Christ. In the second, we see our true value and how much God loves us, but don’t feel the need to lord it over people. Because we are loved and valued by Jesus, we can love and value others and treat them with humility.

True Recognition to Honor God
Notice something interesting about Romans 12:3. Paul says he is speaking, “by the gear given to him,” and he describes the people to whom he is writing as having a measure of faith that “God has assigned.”

We are warned not to think to highly of ourselves, but how can we if we truly understand what is going on. There is no boasting when everything is a gift from God. It’s His grace and His measure of faith which He assigned. For which part of that can you or I claim the credit? None of it! So, no boasting. No arrogance.

At the same time, we recognize with who we are in Christ with sober judgment. In other words, we recognize what He has given us live in gratitude for it.

I’m Worthless!
Those words are some of the most painful words a parent can hear from their child. It’s painful not only because the parent doesn’t want the child to feel that way, but also because it isn’t true. The parent loves and values the child. God loves and values the child.

You are not worthless.
You are highly valued and greatly loves. So much so that the God of the universe died for you. This isn’t self-esteem, it’s Christ-esteem. It’s who you are because God says so and God doesn’ lie.

Heavenly Father,

You have loved me more than I can imagine. When I start to feel worthless, remind me of who You say I am. When I get too full of myself, remind me that all I have is a gift from You that I would not boast except in Christ.

Amen.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Self-Image

Self-Esteem vs Christ-Esteem

Self-Esteem vs Christ-Esteem

More Valuable

More Valuable

With Sober Judgment

With Sober Judgment

Faith Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, FL serving Lutz, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, and New Tampa, FL