A creed for personal confidence

For those who may struggle with low self-worth and pressure themselves into perfectionism

This past week’s podcast episode of Cafeteria Christian was entitled, “Giving Up Perfectionism for Lent.” The thoughts shared there reminded me of many ministry students I worked with over the years. This was something I wrote for them.

– David Sellnow

Confidence anchored in Christ

I am a child of God.  I have a Father who has lavished me with his love and calls me his very own.   I need not worry about what anyone in the world thinks of me, because I am already and always a child of God. And what I will become in my future with Christ is even greater than I can imagine.  (1 John 3:1-2)

I am a worthwhile person.  I have talents and abilities that are uniquely my own.  I don’t need to try to be as this as someone else or as that as someone else.  Each person has their own gifts to use, their own role to play.   I simply will accept who I am and the character and gifts God has given to me.  I won’t worry about what I’m not or what I haven’t yet become.  I will walk in the Lord and with the Lord, and he will lead me to surmount whatever challenges I face.  (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12)

Image credit: Ridwan Jaafar on Flickr

I am a human being.  I know that I fall short of glory in so many ways, but that hasn’t stopped God from loving me or redeeming me.  I do not have to achieve perfection as a person.  Indeed, I need to admit that I can’t achieve perfection, even in small things.  I will stop trying to chase perfection in one thing after another, because such a pursuit only wears me out in body and soul.  Instead, casting all my anxieties on the Lord, bringing him all my weariness and burdens, I know he will care for me. I will find rest for my soul. (Romans 3:23-24, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28)

I can conquer all things through Christ, who loves me.  I can do all things through him who gives me strength.  I may be weak and frail in myself, but Christ’s grace is sufficient for me.  His power is made perfect in my weakness.  The only perfection I need is his.  No task, no challenge, no hardship, no criticism, no pain or pressure of any kind will ever be able to separate me from the love that God has for me or the love that my friends in God have for me.  So I can love myself.  I will love myself.  In Jesus I am loved and lovable.  In Jesus I am strong and capable.  In Jesus I am alive and life is livable.  (Romans 8:37-39, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9)

I am human.  I am imperfect.  That will always be the case, as long as I walk on this earth.  But I will walk tall and grow strong, because my Lord and his love go with me.  No one—not even I myself by my own insecurities—will be able to stand in my way, because my God will never leave me nor forsake me. (Joshua 1:5-9)

I am loved.  I am a child of God.  I need not be discouraged or afraid.

A version of this article was published in 2014 in Forward in Christ magazine.