By Pr. Eileen Gelderbloem
Broken people, raise broken children, who are bound to repeat their parents’ mistakes because of the choices and decisions made before they were even born.
My life was shaped by what I experienced around me, what I saw as my reality and what I perceived as right or wrong, or deemed acceptable, was according to my circle of influence at the time.
It’s the same with our self-worth. We only see ourselves as others see us, the world dictates to us who, or what we should be.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he – Proverbs 23:7
Our thoughts inform our actions! How can we begin to think of ourselves as worthy, when the world tells us, that as women, we have nothing to offer?
I began to realise that my self-worth, was tied to my desire to be loved and accepted. Completely. Not partially, but wholly, fully – immersed!
But the more I chased it, the harder it was to find. The more elusive it became. I was still searching, hungry, desperate, for just some semblance of this thing called self-worth. Down a rabbit hole of broken relationships, money, career growth, education and more, when I came to know a man, who would love me unapologetically. A man who embodies the very word love, who lives it, displays it, gives it – is it! A man called Jesus.
In meeting this man, I met myself. I met the person I was created to be, because I began to realise that if I was made in the image and the likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) – then I had to be exceptional, because He after all, was phenomenal.
I wanted a love like that here on earth and I began to change the view I had of myself and what I accepted.
My friends changed, my habits changed, my thoughts changed, all I wanted was to be worthy of a love like the one given to me, so freely, through Jesus.
So, the road to understanding my self-worth and purpose, began.
I began to talk to God about this and asked Him, how I could reclaim my virtue and my self-worth, after years of giving it away so cheaply, and after many nights of prayer and searching the scriptures, God said to me:
“If you don’t know your worth, you’ll be bought at any price.”
And so, I began to ask myself, what is my price?
I decided, there and then that day, to not settle for anything less that God’s best for my life, because I am, after all, the daughter of a King! A Princess, and Princesses don’t live in squalor!
So, beautiful lady reading this, I would like to pose the very same question to you today: