Sunday during the message, I did something that I hate. I made a mistake. I flipped the order two events in Genesis 2, a portion of scripture I’ve spent so much time in over the years that the actual page in my Bible is falling apart. I have no idea how it happened, but it did.
There are probably people out there like me; you are your own worst critic. You are hard on yourself in a way that can be unrelenting and incredibly unhealthy. Maybe, like me, you have a few wonderful people around you who say things like, “It’s okay, you’re only human.” While I appreciate their kindness and support, it seldom lessens the my internal struggle because honestly, being human is the part of me I like the least.
I have a 100% aversion to being wrong. Which means from time to time I run headlong into feelings of extreme discomfort with myself. Especially when my memory, which was once an iron-clad strength, fails me. This has happened much more since my third encounter with Covid in early 2022.
What does any of this have to do with our Friday devotion? I’m glad you asked.
See, there are distinct times that I see my humanity as my worst enemy.
I think that’s true for all of us- we have moments in our lives when some part of us becomes our biggest enemy.
It may be a public mistake, a private battle, old habits, issues with anger, a struggle or vulnerability with mental or physical health. Regardless of the mechanism, we all have this in common- we can be our own enemy.
If you happen to be feeling this way or know that you have struggled with disliking yourself because of your own actions, mistakes, or failures. I want to share our Bible verse for today with a fresh perspective:
“…Love your enemies…” — Matthew 5:44
This also means loving ourselves when we are our enemy, when we make a mistake, when we fall short of where we want to be, when the person responsible is fully visible in the mirror.
I want to encourage all of us, myself included, love yourself when you are your own advocate and when you are your toughest critic. Love yourself when you succeed and when you fail.
Love yourself because Jesus said to do just that. Loving yourself means forgiving yourself. It means talking to yourself in a way that is encouraging and filled with God’s promises. Loving yourself means accepting God’s love and extending His grace toward the frailest parts of who you are.
Love your enemies, even when that means loving yourself.
Heavenly Father, help us know your love. Help us extend that love to ourselves and to others. Help us love even those who work against us, even when those people are us. For you so loved the world that we might love ourselves and each other. In Jesus’ name, amen.