For The Love Friday: I Should Ignore Myself More Often

Welcome to the very FIRST “For the Love Friday!” Each Friday, until Jen Hatmaker’s book For the Love launches, I will be taking quotes from the book and discussing how they spoke to my heart. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the blog!

“I should ignore myself more often.”

-Jen Hatmaker

For The Love

“You’re getting fat.”

You’re a bad mom.”

“You don’t have the resources to pull that off.”

“Is your house ever clean?”

“Nobody will want to be friends with you if you tell them that thing about yourself.”

“God must be so disappointed at your inaction.”

Someone I know very well tells me those things every day. It’s me. I say them to myself.

When I look in the mirror, or into my heart, or at my children’s faces, I don’t always see the good that’s happening. For some reason, it’s easier to spot the fact that I’m failing at everything than to recognize that I’m not a completely crappy human being. That my efforts might actually be paying off.

You guys, I’m typically pretty nice to other people. I compliment outfits, treat others with respect, and do my best to smother people with encouragement. It’s my life’s goal to show other people a glimpse of Jesus when they meet me. I’m shining my light all over the place—except in my own spirit.

I realize now that the things I say to myself aren’t accurate, or they’re exaggerated. (I love to exaggerate all the crappy parts of my self-image because it’s super great for my confidence.)

I should ignore myself more often.

I need to get a grip, you guys. The minute I let my own thoughts get the better of me is the moment I start trusting what I “know” about myself instead of what I know about God. I know that He thinks I’m beautiful. He created me for a purpose, and He will equip me for whatever He needs me to do.  He’s also forgiven me for the things I don’t enjoy sharing about myself.  God is so much bigger than me, and He’s got this.

When I hear that voice telling me I’m dirty, God says “Jesus washed you clean.”  When it says I’m pudgy and the cellulite is taking over, He says “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.”  When it tells me I’m not enough, He says “I AM.”  You guys, this isn’t about me and what I think. It’s about God and who He says He is.

I can’t begin to explain the kind of freedom we can find when we realize who we are in Christ. When we realize that all the crap we say about ourselves isn’t true, and even if it is (which it probably isn’t!), it doesn’t matter. God looks at us like mommas look at their newborn babies. He sees his beautiful, precious child.

Y’all. Let’s start ignoring ourselves more often. Let’s take that energy and devote it to being encouragers, or teachers, or good friends. Let’s not allow our inner monologue to destroy us from the inside out.  Let’s stop looking at our butts in the bathroom mirror with disdain. (Just me?)

Let’s ignore ourselves and start listening to God. I know He has something nice to say about each and every one of us.

I’d love it if you’d share how you plan to ignore yourself in the comments section below!