Fear NotExemplo

God's Love Is at the Core of My Self-Esteem Do you like pain? I sure don't. In fact, one of my life philosophies is "no pain, no pain." But one of the things I've learned in life is that not all suffering is bad. When God is not involved, or when you don't learn anything, it is just miserable and pointless. But when the scalpel is held by a skillful and loving surgeon, it leads to blessings. When we realize the frailty and vanity of sinful people, we will come to appreciate God's steady love for us all over again. Here is healthy thinking--to let God's unconditional love for us be the core of our self-esteem. Here are his wonderful words: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again" (Jeremiah 31:3,4). The stories of the ups and downs of Old Testament believers and the insights given through prophets like Jeremiah help us see that God's overriding purpose for our lives is to have a love/faith relationship with us. Anything that helps deepen and strengthen that relationship is a good thing in God's eyes. When God's Word has built confidence in your heart that you are loved by and valuable to your Father and Savior, everything else will flow out of that. He will build you up again.