Daily
Devotion
For Week of July
12
Daily Devotion >
Good Morning!
Welcome to Monday, July
12.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for
you are with me; your rod and your staff-they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
These are grim times. I have never lived through a recession
before, and I hope to never have to again. The number of competent people
who have suffered through no fault of their own is staggering. Weekly I
speak with someone who is falling through the cracks, or is desperately
and helplessly watching someone they love sink into
oblivion.
There is no greater challenge to our sense of self-worth than the
hardships of life. In the midst of these difficult times, how can we
continue to believe in ourselves when the world around us offers us
nothing but rejection?
Nathaniel Branden, author of The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem,
says that self-esteem is the “disposition to experience yourself as
competent to cope with the challenges of life and as deserving of
happiness.” Yet, for millions of us, this disposition is a struggle. Our
days are dark and heavy with anxiety, self-criticism, and doubt. The great
news is that we are capable of developing this disposition-of becoming
competent, of coping with challenge, of being happy.
Let’s explore some recession proof ways to enhance our self-esteem
this week.
Let us
pray.
Lord Jesus, you
knew the world’s rejection, yet persevered and accomplished your mission.
Despite the obstacles in my path this Monday, help me stay the course and
complete what I have begun. AMEN.
Dr. Vincent
Kolb
Good Morning!
Welcome to Tuesday, July 13.
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Luke
3:22
How can we continue to believe in ourselves when the recession
keeps sending us messages of rejection?
I think it is important for each of us, regardless of our
circumstances, to speak facts to
our false self-labels.
Those of us who struggle with self-esteem have a large repertoire
of self-labels that we pin on ourselves. Labels like “clumsy,” “stupid,”
and “loser” quickly come to mind when we drop a glass jar, forget a phone
number, or can’t balance our checkbook.
The origins of these self-labels are varied and sometimes deeply
rooted in our earliest life experiences. But that does not make them
accurate! Very often, they are associated with a single incident yet, with
time, have become sweeping-and
false-generalizations.
Dropping and breaking a glass jar, forgetting phone numbers and
struggling to balance the checkbook are mere moments in a day-that’s all.
When an inner voice quickly throws out one of these labels, speak back to
the voice with the facts: “I am not clumsy. I simply dropped the glass
jar.” Pick up the pieces and move on. “I am not stupid. Remembering a
series of numbers is difficult.” Go check the phone number and make the
call. “I am not a loser. I’m simply concerned about our finances.” Slow
down or do something else and return to the chore
later.
The words of God to Jesus in his baptism are the words that God
speaks to us in our baptisms. We are of infinite worth and of infinite use
to the God who loves us and calls us into service.
Let us
pray.
Lord Jesus, you
loved me and died for me before I was born. You gave me your love and
friendship before I could earn it or deserve it. Today let me remember
your unconditional regard for me in the midst of challenge and rejection.
AMEN.
Dr. Vincent
Kolb
Good Morning!
Welcome to Wednesday, July 14.
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful
are your works; that I know very well.” Psalm 139:14
How can we continue to believe in ourselves when the recession
keeps sending us messages of rejection?
Early in my ministerial career, I nearly made some very stupid
decisions because I was constantly comparing myself to peers in my
vocation. Don’t compare yourself
to others!
One of the toxic notions in our culture is the thinking that
certain appearances and/or lifestyles make us more acceptable and worthy.
The media is lethal with this message: “You are not good enough. You need
this object/product/ service, and then you will be
acceptable.”
Comparing ourselves to others is a form of sacrilege. God created
each one of us with unique precision. In their book, Self-Esteem,
Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning make this point beautifully clear:
“Everyone at birth has one unit of human worth, absolutely equal to
everyone else’s unit of worth. No matter what happens in your life, no
matter what you do or is done to you, your human worth can’t be diminished
or increased. Nobody is worth more or less than anybody
else.”
When you compare yourself to others and conclude you are somehow
‘less,’ you disregard your precious personhood created by God.
Let us
pray.
Lord Jesus, I
am complete, just as I am. There is nothing I can do or not do today to
add or detract from the infinite regard with which you hold me. I am
loved! Thank you! AMEN.
Dr. Vincent
Kolb
Good Morning!
Welcome to Thursday, July 15.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark
12:31
How can we continue to believe in ourselves when the recession
keeps sending us messages of rejection?
Do good things for
others. Every major world religion teaches the importance of charity.
That’s because reaching out to others has a mystical power that pulls our
own goodness to the surface of our soul.
Also, don’t let ‘I should’
shove you around. The inner voice that insists “I should” is like the
bully on the playground. It shoves us around with shame and takes
advantage of our tendency to experience our self-worth based on what we
can accomplish.
“I should” keeps us anxious when faced with simple choices
throughout the day. I’d like to take a nap, but I should fold the laundry.
I want to go to the library with the kids, but I should mow the lawn.
Certainly “I should” offers direction. There are worthwhile and
necessary things we should do every day. But cowering and responding to “I
should” does not improve self-esteem-our accomplishments are not the
measure of our worth. When the scream “I should” shoves you around, be
your own best friend. Choose “I’d like” or “I want,” and realize a simple
moment of self-care.
Let us
pray.
Lord Jesus, I
want to be responsible and do the right thing today. But I also need to
balance this with taking care of myself. Help me to find the delicate
balance that will make me happy and healthy. AMEN.
Dr. Vincent
Kolb
Good Morning!
Welcome to Friday, July 16.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For
God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world, but in order to
save the world through Him.” John
3:16-17
How can we continue to believe in ourselves when the recession
keeps sending us messages of rejection?
Let go of the need for
approval. Those who struggle with self-esteem have a savage need for
approval-beyond the healthy satisfaction of relishing a compliment. So
vicious is this need that we often compromise our integrity with lies,
denials, boasts, and blame. Repeatedly, we find ourselves agreeing with
others when we don’t agree at all. The irony is, because we’ve compromised
our integrity in the moment, we feel even worse about ourselves.
Letting go of the need for approval is no easy task. Begin with
small, insignificant situations. It can be as simple as answering honestly
when someone asks a simple question, rather than fishing for the answer
you think will please them. Then pay attention to the simple feeling of
self-confidence that honesty brings. That feeling is the seedling of a
self-esteem ready to grow strong and healthy.
Years ago, a counselor offered a friend of mine this challenge. “If
you imagine your life is a car, where are you in the car?” The first image
that flashed through my friend’s mind was of him sitting in the back seat,
hanging over the front seat to get a better view of the road ahead. That
was an eye-opener for my friend. With this insight, my friend resolved to
be in the driver’s seat of his life. Relying on this image and insight, he
began to make a new beginning, he began to believe in himself
again.
That’s one of the joys of improving one’s elf-esteem in the midst
of the rejection of the recession. The results are noticeable. You feel
that you do have a place in life that is yours-because you do! You feel
emotionally stronger and more mature-because you are! And most of all, you
think more about God’s intimate, personal love for you-because you know
yourself loved.
Let us
pray.
Lord Jesus, it
is by your grace that I am saved today and every day. Your grace is
sufficient for me, for your power is made perfect, even in my weakness.
AMEN.
Join us for
worship at 10AM. The message will be Psalm 98, “A Faith That Sings.”
Dr. Vincent
Kolb