I find self-focus very discouraging, but Christ-focus extremely invigorating and enlightening! If self-love doesn’t look outward and focus on loving others, it becomes like stagnant water. It needs to flow out of us, not sit in a self pit.
Jesus never says “love yourself.” He assumes that you do. He says that you need to love your neighbor as much as you do self. Caring for your neighbor as much as you care about yourself is one of Jesus’ greatest (yet most ignored) challenges to humanity.
Shifting from self-love to neighbor-love isn’t easy. When I try to, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” self screams for attention. However, when I shift my love-focus from myself to my neighbors, I lose my self-focus in serving others and become much happier.
If you would spend your time focusing on serving others (instead of your own agenda) you’d enjoy life more. If “loving yourself” isn’t making you happy, try spending a day loving and serving others. It may surprise you how good you feel.
Forgiveness can’t be compartmentalized. If you won’t get past your self-focused hurt and forgive someone, it will be difficult for you to feel like you’re forgiven.
The more I know myself, the less I trust my own effort and opinions. My trust is in Jesus. I don’t want to be true to myself. That would cause a lot of pain and trouble. I want to be true to the living Jesus!
