How to Love Yourself God’s Way: Biblical Affirmations Inspired by Jesus
Biblical affirmations are different than positive affirmations. Biblical affirmations hold the key to loving yourself in a way that lasts and withstands life’s challenges but also in a way that honors God. In this new series that explores what it looks like to self-affirm in a Godly way, we will learn to love ourselves despite failure, honor ourselves in times of chronic or other illnesses, and stop entering the comparison trap that leaves us in an unhealthy state of mind.
The Difference Between Biblical Affirmations and Positive Affirmations
A great deal of research and information has been available lately about positive affirmations. Science proves the positive effect this type of self-talk has on our mental health. Yet, what I find interesting, is that long before science proved it, through the Bible, God told us all about positive affirmations. But He already went a step further. Because He is our creator and the designer of life, He knew that positive affirmations without Biblical depth, could only go so far.
The people, situations, and challenges we face daily confuse us. The standard continually changes and the culture of the time evolves so it leaves us without solid footing. Without a compass to lead our thoughts and actions.
The positive affirmations we speak to ourselves today can easily appear false depending on the day. Those affirmations may ring true when culture dictates they are true. But if and when culture shifts, those affirmations stumble and fall.
But biblical affirmations will never change. What God said thousands of years ago, He still says today. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and so is His Word. And His Word will never come back void (Isaiah 55:11) which means He doesn’t say Truths about who you are in Him without value.
A Biblical Account: What Does Jesus Teach Us About Loving Ourselves?
Jesus tells us our mistakes, failures, or sins do not define us. That also includes chronic illnesses that keep us from being as productive as we like, dependent on others, and frustrated. Like the pastors at my church continually teach, Jesus tells us that where we have been, what we have done, or what has been done to us is not too egregious for God. Jesus teaches us that we are not accused or condemned. Instead, we are His chosen people. We are loved and defined by our Creator as good. He receives us with mercy and grace, forgives us, and asks us to move forward in life and sin no more.
Let’s look at the book of John, chapter 8 where Jesus gives a woman caught in adultery hope and teaches a lesson of grace to the Pharisees and people of the time. Note that at the time, culture said this woman was beyond hope. The culture dictated she be stoned to death. But Jesus said differently.
John 8:1-11
A Woman Caught in Adultery
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Who Are You as a Child of God?
Who are you as a child of God? Summed up, He tells us through His Word, the Bible, that you are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). That’s some pretty powerful stuff. Because you are His, you — yes, you — are royalty.
“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.” – 1 Peter 2:9 The Message
In Psalms 138 and 139 alone, God details who we are, how He created us, and what He thinks of us.
In Psalms 138 and 139 God teaches us that He:
- Makes us bold with strength in our souls.
- Regards the lowly with honor.
- Revives us when we walk in the midst of trouble.
- Will save us from our enemies.
- Perfects all that is in us.
- Knows every aspect of our lives.
- Understands us.
- Goes before us and follows after us with His hand of protection.
- Never leaves us no matter where we go.
- Made all our body parts, knitting us together in our mother’s womb.
- Made us wonderfully complex with marvelous workmanship.
- Laid out every day of our lives before a single day had passed.
- Has too many precious thoughts about us to even be numbered.
- Is willing to point out anything in us that grieves Him so that we may walk the path of everlasting life.
From this list alone, we can easily come up with some powerful affirmations! But friend, this is only two chapters in a Book filled with Truths about who you are in Christ. It’s a Book filled with Biblical affirmations about your identity in Christ that cannot be changed by an ever-fluctuating culture.
Biblical Affirmations Inspired by Jesus
Below are positive Biblical affirmations to help you love yourself God’s way. They will help you battle against insecurity, negative thought patterns, unforgiveness, condemnation, and the struggles that threaten your peace, joy, and hope.
I love what Lisa Appelo wrote about Biblical affirmations:
That battle plan was to write 31 Biblical affirmations I could speak over my morning, my circumstances and my thoughts. These Christian affirmations rooted in scripture aren’t self-centric, self-actualization kinds of affirmations. Because where’s the power in that?
Lisa Appelo
These Biblical affirmations are based in God’s Word to help you face your day with confidence in Christ.
Biblical Affirmations to Build Your Confidence
1. I am God’s masterpiece. He created me anew in Christ so I can do all the good things He planned for me long ago. I and the day set before me have purpose and value.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” -Ephesians 2:10 NLT
2. I will not compare myself to others today. I see myself in the reflection of Christ alone.
“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” -2 Corinthians 10:12
3. I am capable because my competence comes from God. When I do not have enough within myself, He fills the gaps and gives me what I need.
“Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” -2 Corinthians 3:4-5
Find a complete list of 25 Bible verses to help you break free of insecurity HERE.
Positive Biblical Affirmations to Help You Combat Negative Thoughts (and How to Use Them)
Do negative thoughts run through your mind and lead you to self-defeating behaviors? If so, sadly, you are not alone. A negative thought life leads us along paths not meant for us to take. They result in self-defeat by either over-compensating or under-compensating instead of living in the strength of God in us.
The process I teach is to recognize the lies, pray over the lies, and replace the lies with God’s Truth. Recognition takes self-awareness. It takes capturing every thought. Then, we can pray over the thoughts we are having, asking God to reveal the source and open our eyes to the lies. Finally, the next time that lie surfaces in our thoughts, we replace it with God’s Truth. I break this process down into details with Scripture and strategy in Are Your Negative Thoughts Self-Defeating? It’s Time to Stop Them Now! Plus, I include a handy chart to print and keep by your side.
1. Today I choose to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. I can have the mind of Christ and cancel out negative thoughts against or about myself and my abilities.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things -Philippians 4:8 NIV
2. I am victorious, not defeated, because I belong to God and the Spirit who lives in me is greater than any adversity that comes against me.
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.–1 John 4:4
Biblical Affirmations to Help You Embrace Forgiveness and Redemption Through Christ’s Sacrifice
Forgiveness allows us to move forward in loving ourselves and others well. It is a key Biblical affirmation inspired by Jesus.
1. Today I choose forgiveness just as God, through Christ, has forgiven me. It will set me free.
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. –Ephesians 4:32 NLT
2. I am one of God’s chosen holy people whom He loves. I can have tenderhearted mercy and forgiveness for others because He first forgave me. Through this, I can live with peace no matter who has offended or hurt me.
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” –Colossians 3:12-15 NLT
Biblical Affirmations to Embrace Self-Compassion and Grace Just as Jesus Did
Jesus teaches us in the Scriptures how to have self-compassion, grace, and mercy upon ourselves as well as others.
1. I may make a mistake or two or three today. But God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness triumph over it. He loves me mistakes and all. Therefore, I can too, love myself.
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” –Romans 5:17
2. God commands me to love Him with all my heart, soul, and mind. He also commands me to love my neighbor as myself. Therefore, if I am to love God and my neighbor well, I must also love myself well. Today I choose to have compassion, grace, and love for myself as Jesus commands.
“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” –Matthew 22:36-39 NLT
Practical Steps to Implement Self-Love With a Godly Perspective
- Develop healthy boundaries
- Recognize the wisdom of self-care to nourish mind, body, spirit, and soul.
- Cultivate gratitude for one’s blessings (check out my 21-Day Biblical Gratitude Challenge!)
- Invest time and finances into books, Bible studies, and Biblical courses. I have both free (click the Free Resources tab above or sign up below) and paid items to encourage you along your journey.)
- Journal (gratitude, prayer, daily, Scripture)
- Follow me over to another post to get the complete list of 25 Ways to Love Yourself God’s Way.
A Prayer to Love Yourself God’s Way With Biblical Affirmations
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for chasing after me no matter how far I wander (Matthew 18:12). Thank You for how uniquely You created me. How much tender love and care You put into my creation. Father, I want to honor that by loving myself Your way. You are my Rock. My cornerstone and in whom I look for affirmation. Thank You for giving me Your Word, the Bible, as proof of Your love for me and as a guide to loving myself in a very confusing world. Father, give me strength. Unveil my hope and fill me with Your love, peace, and joy.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen
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