Often when someone gives me a compliment, I respond by putting myself down. I literally deny out loud what someone has told me. I shove it away and want to give it back almost as if I’m not worthy of it; I don’t believe it. Listen to how you respond to compliments. Receive them. Don’t tear yourself down because of your insecurities when someone is lifting you up. Maybe this is just a problem I have or maybe you can relate as well. Actually, I hope you don’t relate to it, but if you do or know someone who deals with this, let’s stop it now.

The words you say and the things you think have strong power over you.“The tongue can bring death or life.” (New Living Translation, Proverbs 18:21) We can not only destroy or give life to others with our words, but we can also do the same to ourselves. What do you say about yourself to others? What do you tell yourself about yourself? Listen to these things, rebuke the harmful and instead proclaim the things that God has said about you. Those are the only things that have the strong weight of truth. Proclaim, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (New King James Version, Psalm 139:4)

We tear ourselves down because we don’t think we’re worth the praise, but God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made, you are My creation, I love you and that’s enough. We need to live our lives out securely, not taking compliments in a narcissistic manner, but with humility and with a softness of satisfaction knowing someone is seeing who God made you to be. Take that, receive it, and love yourself as God has loved you. Try it, try lifting yourself up instead of tearing yourself down. Have fun loving yourself, and soon you will find that you will start seeing yourself the way that God sees you; beautiful, loved and worthy!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New King James Version (NKJV)

Overcoming Insecurity