It is the month of December, and most of us are preparing for something. We will be getting gifts, and gathering items for dinners and other festivities. With all that we need to do, we often forget to take care of ourselves. It is the end of the year, not the end of our lives (hopefully). This season, remember to fill your cup until it overflows, then you will be able to love your family and friends the way you should, without getting burnt out. Beautiful people, I am talking about self-love.

What is self-love?

According to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, self-love is a state of appreciation of oneself that grows from actions to support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth.

Based on this definition of self-love, do you love yourself?

What the Word says…the truth about self-love

In Matthew 22: 36-40, an expert in the Law asked Jesus:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

In other words, the greatest commandment is to love God, love yourself, and love your neighbor (everyone). In that order.

Self-love begins with God

God is our creator. Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” Self-love is first getting to know yourself and then loving that self. If you were created in the image of God (God the Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit), how will you know yourself if you do not know God?

Some people say to ask those around you to get a sense of who you are. My question is, did they create you? Only the creator of something knows what he created and why he created it. Therefore, without God, we will most likely develop a false sense of who we are and why we are here – purpose.

Get to know God first, His character, qualities, and nature. When we seek to know God, we will begin to understand His unconditional love for us. This will result in us loving God.

Loving yourself

Loving God will result in self-love. On your journey to knowing God, you will begin to understand and know yourself, self-discovery (becoming your authentic self). You may understand that you are not just a body, you are a spirit (like God) but we live in a body, and we possess a soul (mind, emotions, and will). This means self-love should include physical health for your body, psychological or mental health for your soul, and spiritual health for your spirits. 

Self-love – getting in alignment

Are you in balanced? For anything to work well, it requires balance or alignment. Take care of your body, soul, and spirit. All three are connected and we need our whole being to function properly.

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers, 3 John 2.

Body; this may mean exercise (gym, yoga, walking, dancing, swimming, etc.), but it may also mean resting, or eating healthier meals. 

Soul; this may be becoming more self-aware (e.g. therapy), but it could be being grateful, forgiving yourself, being kind to yourself, reading books (the Bible), or listening to talks, (e.g. sermons), or music (Gospel/Christian music), or movies that speak to your soul.

Spirit, actively seeking God. Is Jesus the Lord of your life? Interestingly, seeking God first leads us into all truth, so prioritize accordingly. Actively seeking God means staying connected, it is about relationship. 

Fill your cup until it overflows

Now that we are knowing and loving God and ourselves, we will begin to understand others. Then, we can truly love others to the same measure as we love ourselves. 

In the busyness of our lives, we often times unknowingly change the order or leave out or focus on a part of this commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” This will cause problems. We cannot break God’s laws, if we disobey them (even unintentionally), they will break us.

So, this season practice the true self-love and be your best self.