You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. James 2:22
Over the past few days, we’ve been talking about how to develop healthy, biblically-based self-worth. This process starts with confessing God’s promises and meditating on them. As we do, the truth of who we are in Christ begins to sink in and take root in our hearts, and we begin to believe what God says about us instead of the negative things our parents, teachers, coaches, bosses or peers might have said.
Claiming and meditating on God’s Word is key, but we can’t stop there. There is one more step that is vital when it comes to developing a healthy respect and love for ourselves. We have to begin to act differently.
You see, faith without works is dead. In other words, if we want change, we need to be willing to do new things. It’s great to begin to believe differently because new beliefs drive new action, but we still need to take that leap of faith and begin to act differently if we want to see change.
When it comes to developing great self-worth, we need to change how we treat ourselves and how we allow others to treat us. Begin to treat yourself with more respect. Take care of your body by exercising and eating right. Don’t put your needs at the bottom of the list, and take steps toward establishing healthy boundaries in your relationships.
These changes may take time. Establishing new habits takes perseverance, but you can do it! Soon you’ll begin to experience what it is to truly love yourself, which will also empower you to love others, God’s way.