Why should we love ourselves?

Okay so I would like to get something off my chest

I have one worry about this blog. And that is that the heart of this blog will be misunderstood.

My fear is that people will read our blogs and scroll through our Instagram and misinterpret the message.

To the point where loving yourself comes to a place where you become self centred, self seeking, introspective, and having so many boundaries with people that we forget sacrificial love and helping a brother out in times of need.

lets get one thing clear, that is not the heart of this blog.  

why do we love ourselves in first place?

when we love ourselves we are then able to be the best version of ourselves for the world around us. loving our neighbour AS we love ourselves is an equal balance. one can’t be more than the other. if we love people more than ourselves it ends in disaster and if we love ourselves more than the people around us it also ends in disaster. it is so important that you tend the garden of your soul, body and spirit not only so you can enjoy the gift of life but so you can be a blessing to those around you and live life to the absolute full. and also teaching those around us to do the same for themselves!

in order to do everything we are called to do in our lives, to be the best friends, best wives and husbands, best sons and daughters, girlfriends and boyfriends, best mothers and fathers, we must love ourselves. we must treat ourselves like we would treat the person we love the most. we must be kind to ourselves. and that inner reality of love and care will leak all over how we are in our families, our jobs, and every area of our lives. love is an action. love is a lifestyle. love is a choice. love is a discipline.

I recently read a book called Gods Generals. This book was filled with incredible stories from the lives of old revivalists and their ministries  – some of the stories would blow your mind, I aspire to be like those amazing men and women of God. but I noticed an occurring theme…. most of them burned out, and died relatively young.

why?

because they did not look after themselves.

we must steward ourselves so we are able to live long lives so we are able to do above and beyond all we could imagine or ask for. we must get enough sleep. we must get our time with God. we must have fun and adventure. we must eat healthy. we must care for our bodies. we must process pain. we must completely love ourselves so we are able to be alive and well for the work we have to do on earth. these are needs we have as humans. so please darling, do not feel guilty when you take time for yourself. heck it is necessary!

I heard someone say once that ‘hurt people hurt other people’ this is so true. we can have compassion on anyone in our lives that gives us a hard time because anyone who does cruel things, says cruel things, and brings disaster is not a joyful person. and they do not love themselves well. and who knows what they have been through in their lives. maybe they haven’t ever felt a pure love from anyone before. maybe you could even be the one to look past their attitude and show them compassion. who knows how that might change their lives?

when we love ourselves, when we love those around us, when we live in love, life happens. we create a beautiful environment, a healthy family, somewhere safe where people feel ‘home’

this loving yourself message is not all about you

it’s about you and others

xox