Inspiration 2: Allow Yourself to Love You (Part 1)

IMPORTANT:  What you’re about to read may revolutionize your relationship to your “SELF”. Openness is highly recommended. 

Hear this well,

Don’t be Selfless…

Be SELF-FULL!

Okay, what you’ve heard may sound idolatrous, blasphemous, unchristian, immoral, evil, sin (a mortal one), self-serving, self-centered, rude, foolish, stupid, absurd  (call it whatever you like) but I’m shouting this once again from the peak of Mt. Everest to the deepest of Marianas Trench…

Be SELF-FULL!

Self-fullness is not Good… but Very Good!

Let me introduce to you SELF-FULLNESS.

Self-fullness is a term that I prefer to use to describe selflessness, self-sacrifice, self-denial, self-love, and self-actualization. (I hope you’re at peace now knowing that you’re still reading the right stuff)

Basically, self-fullness is a virtue that may lead you to give-up your own desire and interests (but not totally) and convenience for the good of others and also of yourself. (Take note, yourself will also benefit from this!)

What?

Why include myself?

Is this not selfishness? 

Confused? 

Don’t worry, it’s normal.  (It took me 32 years to realize this and I wish to live another 38 years to discover it more). However, there’s a lot to discover for us not to overuse or misuse this “inspiration”. Please bear with me if I will be talkative this time. 

Please enjoy reading!

A Self-full Tent Maker

Let me give you first an example of a self-full person.

Take St. Paul, a very good tent maker.

If you will read his second letter to the Corinthians; you would think that he’s selfish and proud. (Like how some Corinthians thought that he was) But no, he’s not. He’s simply self-full! (By the way, please read chapters 8 and 9, it’s the biblical foundation of pasahero)

In this letter of his, St. Paul admitted that he’s almost falling into the trap of being selfish, jealous, proud, foolish, taking advantage, or even unfair for he is behaving like a “madman” for boasting the things that he sacrificed for the sake of Jesus. (2 Cor. 11: 7- 11, 23-31; 12: 11-21)

But why he’s “boasting” and behaving like that?

St. Paul explained to the Corinthians:

Because I want to build you up (in Christ)… (10:8)

Because I hope that your faith may grow… (10:15)

Because I want to help you… (12:19)

Because (If God loves you) God knows that I love you too! (11:8)

And this “God-Loves-You” (not You-Love-God) gospel is what made him to approve himself well (self-fullness).  By writing with much confidence (self-fullness), St. Paul was able to show that his authority comes from the Lord and he’s only an accomplice for them (Corinthians) to benefit well. (10:8)

In addition, he believed that his self-approval (self-fullness) does not come from him but a reflection of God’s approval of him. St. Paul said:

 “Whoever wants to boast must boast about what the Lord has done.” For it is when the Lord thinks well of us that we are really approve, and not when we think well of ourselves. (10:18)

As a result, St. Paul’s self-fullness leads him to real humility, he says:

If I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not boast, because I do not want any of you to have a higher opinion of me than you have as a result of what you have seen me do and heard me say. (12:6)

He also added:

I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me. I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (12:9)

In the end, St. Paul’s self-fullness revealed what should really be proclaimed:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (13:13)

Amen, this is what self-fullness is all about.

A life with God,

A life that is focus on God!

(Have you notice that self-fullness does not focused in forgetting ourselves for the benefit of others like we usually understand selflessness? Let's have a break. Please watch the music video of "WHO AM I" courtesy of You Tube family. Remember, Self-fullness only starts with God.)

Becoming a Self-full Person

I invite you to dig deeper.

Let’s look back on what St. Paul experienced. He wrote:

¹⁷In planning this, did I appear fickle? When I make plans, do I make them from selfish motives, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?

He continued…

 On the contrary, he (Jesus) is God’s “Yes”;  ²⁰for it is he who is the “Yes” to all of God’s promises. This is why through Jesus Christ our “Amen” is said to the glory of God.

²¹ It is God himself who make us, together with you, sure of our life in union with Christ; it is God himself who has set us apart, ²² who has placed his mark of ownership upon us, and who has given us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the guarantee of all that he has store for us. (2: 17, 21-22)

Citing the above verses, I believe that there are three things that we need to understand in order for us to receive self-fullness from God.

What are they?

Here they are (Cymbals please!)

1. Your self-image must be a reflection of God’s Identity for you. (v. 21)
2. Your self-confidence must be a reflection of Christ’s Love for you. (v. 21)
3. Your self-esteem must be a reflection of God’s Spirit living in you. (v. 22)

Let me expand these inspirations further.

Your Self-Image is God’s Identity for You

When God created you, He made you FULLY- meaning more than your body; He gave you his own image and likeness.

As written…

Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created human beings, making them to be like himself…

… God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.  Gen 1:26-27, 30

What is this image and likeness means?

This means that you are VERY GOOD! Yes, very good like GOD!

And you’re very good because He gave you His wisdom, freedom, and Spirit (God didn’t gave these to other creatures. Ikaw lang ang meron nito, sa’n ka pa!)

And this VERY-GOOD- GOD-GIVEN image; should also be your image of your “SELF” (self-image). NOT the image given to us by other people and by the media. 

Sadly, many of us are getting images from commercials, tabloids, billboards, tweets, and “likes” indorsed by our idols that are really toxic and distorting the concept of “very good”. Because many of us believe that “very good” is what is “in”, expensive, pleasurable, and easy.

Are we right?

Or left? (just kidding)

So, I believe that it’s not good to get your image from these things. It is hazardous to your health and spirit. (Like smoking and too much drinking) Instead, remember that whatever (as in whateveeeeeer) other people may say about you and whatever you to say (and think) of yourself,

Believe that you are God’s image…

You are God’s masterpiece… and,

You are Gods beloved child! (ikaw na!)

Your Self-Confidence is God’s Love for You

Because you are beloved child of God, and God can sees Himself in you; He loves you FULLY to the point that when you were lost, He gave you His son Jesus Christ to die and save you. 

This unconditional love of Christ should also be the source of your self-confidence, and NOT only from what you have and what you can do.

Tell me my friend.

If you are what you have and what you do; who are you if what you have, and what you do is already gone?

Who are you then?

So I believe that you should get your confidence from Jesus who loves you (more than you’ll ever know) not because you’re intelligent, not because you’re rich, or not because you’re holy. He loves you simply because He loves you. Period.

Remember this: Jesus’s love is unconditional! 

And because Jesus’s love is with you,

You can make things happen!

You can make a difference!

You can win BIG!

You can be Happy!

You can be Successful! (In ALL aspect of your life)

Yes, you can be Rich!

All and everything is possible!

St. Paul declared it:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

Your Self-Esteem is God’s Spirit Given to You

And lastly, at this very moment (while reading this post) God is with you FULLY by His Spirit who is blessing and reminding you that all He wants for you is to have LIFE - a life that is full and eternal with Him.

And this is why I believe that you should always have a high self-esteem and NOT feel frustrated, disappointed, anxious, emotional (as in emo) stressed and fearful. St. Paul said:

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Tim. 1:7

And why do we need to bury ourselves, worshiping our “BUT’s” and “IF’s” (alam mo yun, yung may gusto kang gawin pero… pero… pero…; puro ka na lang pero. O yung baka… baka… baka…;  puro ka na lang baka kaya di mo magawa-gawa yung gusto mo?) and feel inferior?

Is it because we we’re not able to please our parents, siblings, friends, teachers, husband or wife, your children, or even yourself?

Or is it because other people are better than us?

Or is it because other people are holier than us?

I understand…, sometimes they (or we ourselves) demand perfection and excellence; but remember that excellence doesn’t mean you should always be right (not committing mistakes) be on top, the number one, and the only one (said Nido). No, this is NOT the “basic” excellence for me.

Excellence is more of being your best, Being GOD’s Best!

Do your best always (and God will do the rest, as they say) because whether you win or you lose; I tell you, you win no matter what the outcome.

We are always a “winner” but the problem is that sometimes (if not always) we associate “winning” to the results that we want to see, not on how God wants it to be. (Think about that!)

Remember this: You can always be free and be at peace with your “SELF” (and NOT always afraid on what others will say) when you allow the Spirit to work with you. The book of Hebrews assured us:

So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Heb. 13:6

So there’s no need for us to pretend and to waste our time trying to please everybody. After all, pleasing is the work of the Spirit. He’s the one who can make things beautiful!  

Allow Your “Self” to Love You

Now, if God loves you fully and perfectly this way, is it not what He’s expecting from you as far as loving your “SELF” is concerned?

If God made you worthy to His unconditional love, why not allow your “SELF” to give the same unconditional love for you?

What do you think?

Okay, let’s play with words: 

Self-fullness is a reflection of God’s unconditional love for you, and when you deprive this state of love for your “SELF”, you’re not just being unjust to your “SELF” but first and foremost; you’re being unjust to God’s love for you.

Ano raw? Mas nakakalito ata. (Did you notice the word “You”? How many times it was mentioned? Count it… Yes it was _ _ _ _ _ times, God’s perfect number!)  

There is much to say regarding this “YOU-R-SELF” (R, stands for relationship) but in the mean time, what I would like you to discover is that:

Self-fullness is a natural energy that flows from God’s given identity, love, and spirit for you. And when you allow (receive) this energy, you will be able to transcend from a SELF-FOCUS person to a GOD-FOCUS person. (Ano na naman yan? Don’t worry; we will talk more about this in the second part of this post)

Okay, I know this sound like theology, too scientific or maybe even gibberish (to some) but I hope these next two statements will help you:

Statement 1: SELF-FULLNESS is ALLOWING YOUR “SELF” to LOVE YOU because GOD LOVES YOU!

Let me rephrase it for you.

Statement 2: Because GOD LOVES YOU, LET YOUR “SELF” LOVE YOU (perfectly and well)

Get it?

That is SELF-FULLNESS!

I hope this already make sense but if you still feel that loving yourself this way is self-centered, selfish  and unchristian (like from the start) I pray that you understand (and live) this inspiration in God’s time.

Self-fullness In a Nutshell

Be self-full.

Pray that you become one.

Okay, pray that you become selfless if you still prefer to call it that way.

But whatever you call it,

My wish for you this Christmas is that you will always FOCUS ON GOD. (Not to yourself and even to others)

Because the more you focus on God, the more you will have a veeeeeeeeeeeery good look at your “SELF” and of “OTHERS”. (More on this next time)

I bless you.

Love your “SELF” well!

God already does…

Want a proof?

He gave you His Son, His only begotten son…

Receive Him!

Have an Inspiring Christmas my friend!

P.S. Part 2 will describe more the benefits of being a self-full person and how this can be a way for you to love others. Hope to chat with you again and I’ll be expecting some of your comments. Thanks for your generosity.