Loving Me: A 5-Day Devotion Plan
Day One:
Read: Matthew 22:36-40
"...Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39 New King James Version)
I enjoy traveling on planes as often as I can. On every flight, there is one rule I always use to scoff at while buckling my seatbelt: If there is a problem and you have a small child with you, make sure you put the oxygen mask on your face first. Once you have your own oxygen mask on, then place the oxygen mask on your child. I would think, "Place the oxygen mask on myself first? No way! I'm placing the oxygen mask on my child first! If I have to die so that my child can live, I'm willing to do just that!" My thoughts were noble but my nobility would get me and my child into trouble. If I am passed out due to my lack of oxygen, I won't be able to help my child at all. Loving others can be a lot like this. As Christians, we are supposed to be known for the way we love each other. We work on giving others unconditional love and devotion. We push ourselves to do it, even when it doesn't seem favorable for us. But if we are not loving ourselves well, we won't do a good job of loving others well.
Put on your own oxygen mask, then give life to people around you.
Questions for the day:
1. Who taught you how to love YOU?
2. What did that look like?
*It would be great for you to write your answers down in a journal for your own keeping.
Day Two:
Read: Luke 10:38-42
Self love is not merely repeating affirmations to yourself in the mirror every morning before you leave the house. It begins with the willingness to invest in yourself. If you reflect on your past and find that no one was willing to invest time, finances or attention into your life, reparent yourself by making your own investments. If you're alive right now - which I totally believe you are because you're reading this devotion, YOU ARE WORTH THE INVESTMENT!
When Mary and Martha welcomed Jesus into their home, I'm sure there was much to do. Martha wasn't please that Mary decided to leave the work unattended to sit at Jesus' feet. When she approached Jesus about the issue, He shared with Martha that Mary's choice was the best choice: Self investment - especially when it comes to the presence of Jesus is priceless. As we fill ourselves with more of Him, we are able to give more to others. Christians running on empty rob the people around them of the glory that God desires to release.
Questions for the day:
1. What have you been doing for others that you have not been willing to do for yourself?
2. What investment can you make in yourself today?
Day Three:
Read: John 15:1-10; Genesis 3:1-7
Eve decided to eat forbidden fruit to gain what she already possessed: God like-ness. I used to believe that abiding in Jesus or being similar to the Father looked like me becoming a spiritual giant by listening to worship albums all day long, praying like a monk and serving others even if it were to my own demise. I desired forward progress in my life, but I felt stuck in the same places year after year.
Praying like a monk is absolutely amazing and worship can change an atmosphere in a moment; but no matter how much I prayed, worshipped and gave others the benefit of my living, I wasn't seeing any lasting change. One day, I realized that all of my working to become a spiritual giant was actually the rejection of the position God had already given to me. I was rejecting ME. He made me well, but I didn't feel good enough. So, I was toiling to become more of what I already was: His own.
Every day, I am learning to embrace ME more and more. He didn't choose me because of my accolades. He chose me before any of those things mattered. He didn't rescue me because of my sinfulness, He chose me before I sinned. If God chose me, then I should choose me too. I should let go of the self-rejection and embrace the one that God chose.
Questions for the day:
1. Who told you that you didn't measure up?
2. Are you willing to rip those lies up and love the real you?
Day Four:
Read: Psalm 139:1-18
You were made well! You are worth every drop of love that God has stored up for you. Will you take His love in? Will you breathe in His love, open up to Him and allow that love to go deep within your heart? Loving everyone else but yourself hasn't gotten you far - I know it didn't get me far. It's time to embrace yourself and allow God to love you through You!
Questions for the day:
1. What does taking God's love in look like for you?
2. How can you release God's love to yourself?
Day Five:
Read: Psalm 131:1-3
We often discount ourselves from God's love because we feel as though we are not good enough, smart enough or spiritual enough to earn His respect. We don't understand every spiritual thing we are presented with and this leaves us feeling unworthy and unsettled about embracing God's love. We ask Him questions like, "Why would you pick me?" or things like, "Are you sure you have the right person?"
God's love and embrace go beyond what we are capable of understanding or accomplishing for Him. His love exceeds what we can imagine. The best thing we can do is take His love in and leave the details to Him. Those are the lofty things that He knows how to handle.
Questions for the day:
1. What ideas or situations keep you from embracing God's love for you?
2. How can you push those ideas aside and take in God's love today?