The LORD turned to him [Gideon] and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
People who have been hurt or abused in some way often have very low self-esteem. Other people have not treated them as though they are valuable or special, so they do not have a strong sense of self-worth. An important part of the healing of the soul is developing a healthy self-image and coming to understand that God loves us, so we should love ourselves. We were worth His sending His Son to die for us, so we have worth far beyond what we realize.
In the Bible, Gideon did not have a good self-image. When God called him to save the Israelites and even asked, “Do not I send you?” (which was God’s way of letting Gideon know that yes, He was definitely sending him), Gideon tried to get out of it. He basically told God that he did not come from a strong family and that he was the weakest one of them all!
God had chosen Gideon for a special purpose, but Gideon did not have enough confidence in God or in himself to embrace the assignment. He had several problems. The first was that he thought negatively about himself. The second was that he spoke negatively about himself. The third was that his faith in God did not outweigh his own thoughts and words. Even when we think or speak negatively about ourselves, when we have an encounter with God, it gives us a chance to change our minds, change our words, and come into agreement with Him. Gideon didn’t do that.
As God heals your soul, your self-esteem will improve. You will begin to feel stronger, more confident, and better about who you are. This is a good sign, and it means that God is working in your life! When God calls you to do something or gives you an opportunity and your first thought is, Oh, I couldn’t do that. I am not smart enough or strong enough, or whatever you think you are not enough of, stop yourself. Interrupt that thought and think, God created me, and He loves me unconditionally. He is healing my soul and making me stronger. I belong to Him, so I can do anything He asks me to do!
This kind of confidence and positive self-image is not arrogant, because it is based on your relationship with God, not on your human abilities. To be confident in God and to feel good about how He has created you is a healthy expression of your faith in Him. Philippians 4:13 says you can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength. To believe that is to agree with God’s Word and doing that will help you improve your self-image.
Prayer of the Day: Lord, thank You for loving me and giving Your Son for me. Heal my self-image, silence my negative thoughts, and help me believe I am valuable in You, amen.
