Morning Discipline – Loving Who You See In the MIrror

Good morning!

It is a new week and a new day and I’m so glad you could join me as we continue our journey toward renewing our minds and improving our self-discipline. If you’re just joining me, you can read my article, “Morning and Evening: A New Self Discipline Journey” to learn more about why I am doing this, and how this may benefit you as well.

This week we are going to focus each day on developing our self esteem. Each day this week I will provide affirmations, scriptures, and daily challenges regarding this topic. Next week will be a new one!

With that said, let’s start our morning together!

BREATHING EXERCISE

Before we begin let us take some deep breaths to calm our mind and prepare us for this mornings discipline.

MUSIC FOR A NEW DAY

I personally like to have some soft music in the background, so if that’s something you like as well below you will find a song you can play for the duration of our time together.

PRAYER For Better Health

Now that we’re calm, let us transition to a time of prayer. Over the next few minutes you can pray on your own or feel free to use the following prayer:

Father,

I come to Your throne room in order to receive help for my self-image. You created me in Your image and likeness, and that means so much to me. I know that You always love me. I know You didn’t just carelessly or thoughtlessly throw me together.

You made me so wonderfully complex! It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous–and how well I know it.

Because I am Your workmanship, your handicraft, made for good works, I ask You to help me to view myself from Your perspective. Help me to realize my strengths. Open my eyes to the strengths, abilities, and talents that You have placed inside of me. Give me grace to find the good that is in me.

Help me be appreciative of who I am, instead of critical of who I am not.

Although the world places importance on physical appearance, Father, I know that You judge men’s hearts. You are interested in a pure heart and a humble spirit. I know that I am very valuable to You.

Knowing that I am chosen makes me feel special. Thank You for choosing me before the foundation of the world. I acknowledge You, God, as my Father, and thank You that I am Your child.

Help me to set my affections on things above rather than on things of the world. Help me to mature in my relationship with You and to develop into the happy, joyful, strong Christian that I have the potential to be.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

A Prayer for Self Esteem | www.cfaith.com

AFFIRMATIONS for Better Self Esteem

Here are a few affirmations for this morning that you can put in your pocket and carry with you throughout your day.

As you read through them, repeat each one out loud at least three times before moving to the next. Take your time. Close your eyes and say them to yourself as well. Let these words sink into your heart and mind this morning:

1. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
2. I am confident in who I am and who my God is.
3. My God values me enough to know even the smallest detail about me.
4. I am a child of God!

SCRIPTURES For Better Self Esteem

As Christians, our affirmations should be rooted in the strength and power of God who empowers us and strengthens us to face every trial and every day (both good and bad).

Here are some scriptures that further support the affirmations we just spoke to ourselves. Again, repeat each one three times out loud before moving to the next one. Take your time. Maybe try to commit these to memory as well:

1. Psalm 139:13-14, “For you created my innermost 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.”
2. Hebrews 10:35-36, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
3. Luke 12:7, “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
4. 1 John 3:1a, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

TODAYS CHALLENGE

Our challenge today is this: look in the mirror and love who you see.

It’s hard in a world that values physical beauty over quality of character to love the person you see in the mirror. But it will be hard to give our love to others as God commanded if we cannot love ourselves.

No doubt, there are physical flaws we all like to change about ourselves. I for one have a crooked tooth that I’d love to get straightened out. I also have psoriasis which causes me to have some patchy dry spots on my skin. I also have a bald spot on my head. I also have a slight gut.

Some of these things I can change. For example, my gut – I’m working on that. But that has less to do with physical beauty and more to do with overall physical health and diet (which we definitely should be concerned about).

Some things I cannot change about my appearance.

But ultimately, God is not concerned about my appearance, but far more concerned about who I am as a person. He is far more concerned about how I treat myself and how I treat others.

So today, and this may be harder for some than others, but stop and take a deep look in your mirror. Love that person. Don’t critique all the physical flaws, but appreciate that you were formed by God the way that you are on purpose. Look into your own eyes and tell yourself, “I love you.”

Quote of the Day

I also wanted to include a little quote of the day that maybe you’ll find some inspiration in as well.

Today’s quote comes from John Joseph Powell who was a Jesuit priest and author, and he said in his book “The Secret of Staying in Love”:

It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.

John Joseph Powell

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