Born to be Loved! By Brent Lokker

Last weekend I had the extreme joy of performing my nephew’s wedding in Idaho. While there, I was able to go golfing with my brothers. On one particular hole, I was feeling the wind in my face and simultaneously feeling a great love for myself and I said out loud to no one in particular,

“I love me when I love me!”

It was a carefree, joy-filled moment that I instantly began to ponder. It’s almost as if the Lord was saying, “I don’t want you to miss the significance of this moment. Capture this more and more because I want you to live in this reality.”

We all know that we are supposed to love ourselves and love others (Jesus did say, “Love your neighbor as yourself” in Mark 12:31), but when we actually do feel love for our own selves, something changes. We’re able to enjoy ourselves and enjoy the life we have instead of being saddled with discouragement.

Clearly the million dollar question here is, “How can I have this kind of love for myself?”

To get the answer, look no further than to Jesus (now that makes sense!) who said,

“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

“As I have loved you…”

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross proves once and for all that you are worthy of being loved! Jesus says to you, “I choose to love you because you’re altogether loveable! I’m the one who decides your worth because I made you. And I say you are worth being loved. It’s settled forever. I love you!”

You might be thinking, “But I feel like I’m failing in life—I have so far to go.”

Yes, it’s true that you have a journey ahead of you still, but look behind you and see how far you’ve already come!

It’s one thing to intellectually agree with what I am saying, but it’s an entirely different matter to put it into action. I urge you—no, I challenge you—to go look in a mirror right now, staring directly into your own eyes, and tell yourself, “I love you!”

Now try it again like you mean it—with more feeling and being gentle and kind to yourself.

How did that feel? For most people, it almost feels wrong. That’s a clue we aren’t used to loving ourselves and we're still doubting our worth the way Jesus sees us. Agree with His assessment that you are loveable and look in the mirror one more time.

“I love you!”

By the way, don’t be afraid that this will lead to being prideful. Think about it—people who are arrogant and conceited actually don’t love themselves enough and so they have a need to tear others down to try and make themselves feel better. People who genuinely love themselves because they experience the love of the Father are humble—they know where the love is coming from!

Now here’s the amazing part: when you actually love yourself, others around you will feel loved as well because it’s oozing right out of you! Really! Classmates, co-workers and, yes, even family members will want to be around you more as you love yourself more.

I am declaring over you today a heightened awareness of the Father's love that is cascading over you at every moment! You were born to be loved and you are designed to freely give what you have freely received!