Foundations of Self Esteem
Do we, as parents, Love our children more if they achieve or do
we give them our Love so they have a firm foundation with which to achieve??
we give them our Love so they have a firm foundation with which to achieve??
We are more often raised with the belief that Love is a reward. We cannot be respected or admired or Loved without some level of performance or achievement. we go through life as performers and achievers thinking - when I ' do this' then I will finally be loveable. It soon becomes an addiction and eventually our achievements never seem enough - never will be enough - we keep on doing and doing and doing, perpetually! It lowers our self esteem, we create doubts about ourselves and if we measure up - limiting our future.
As Christians
Does God Love us more if we achieve or does He give us His Love
so we have a firm foundation with which to achieve??
so we have a firm foundation with which to achieve??
We are taught to believe that God would love us if and when we are good and change our ways - perform for Him so to speak. It is the way we are taught as young Christians and carry these thoughts into our adult life - be good, change your ways and God will reward you. But as in our daily lives if we continue in this way we will spend our lives always feeling we fall short and we never seem to be good enough or change enough. Creating low self esteem and doubts in ourselves as Christians. In fact what we forget is that it is 'Love' that changes us. It is not the reward for change - it is Gods, unconditional, given Love that will bring about the change. It is the experience of that Love that becomes the power to Change. More often it is our common religion that gives the inferior message - that God Loves us when I change, when I achieve (moralism) You are never holy enough, pure enough, refined enough or loving enough.
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