I know that I talk about my boyfriend a lot. I probably annoy many people with how "lovey-dovey" I am about him. That's okay, I would be too if I didn't know how him. The truth about my boyfriend is that he struggles deeply with insecurity. My boyfriend struggles deeply with depression and anxiety. My boyfriend stuggles deeply with self-worth. My boyfriend struggles deeply with believing the truth about himself and about how others feel about him. My boyfriend struggles deeply with trust and not feeling loved. My boyfriend struggles deeply with hating himself. My boyfriend struggles deeply with not wanting to open up to anyone. My boyfriend struggles with thinking that he is a failure.
Some people, in fact many people including people that I look up to and respect, would advice me to point him in the direction of a therapist and walk away. I get it. I understand it. The thing is that the advice my Savior gives me is to love, love, love. When it becomes overwhelming to watch the person that I love tear himself down, my Savior empowers me with His encouraging spirit. Tonight, one of my most treasured nights with my loving boyfriend, was one of those nights. Tonight my boyfriend poured out his heart to me and said all of the things about himself in the first paragraph. Truth is, my boyfriend is not any of that. My boyfriend is the most compassionate, loving, encouraging, strong, talented, and godly men that I know... but he doesn't see that. At least, not yet. He's beginning to see it.
You see, God has been teaching me that He has given me the gift of encouragement. He has been teaching me how He wants me to use that gift. His Holy Spirit inhabited my speech tonight and I feel that there are many of us who feel like my boyfriend but will not admit it or are too scared to open up to anyone about it.
If that is you, here are two truths that God wants you to see:
1. Truth does not change based on how you feel.
2. When you view yourself in the lies about who you are, you become what you hate. When you view yourself in the truth of who you are, you gain those attributes that you love.
3. Hating yourself makes you become what you hate. Loving yourself because of the truth of who you are in Christ makes you become what you love.
4. If you view yourself in your sinful nature, you'll continue doing things you hate. If you view yourself as a child of the King of kings, you'll begin to do things you love.
(by the way, yes i know that 2-4 are the same things said in different ways)
Start reminding yourself of what the truth is about you based on what God says and you'll begin to love yourself and stop becoming what you hate.
The more we view ourselves as God's children, the more we will live out the inherited traits He gives us. (hint, fruits of the spirit)
How can you remind yourself of the truth?
Who you can encourage today?
Love Always,
Kimmy
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