Ezra Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.33 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted March 28, 2015 Recently a Christian posted his thanks to God for helping him deal with his issue of self-esteem. That triggered a few questions for general discussion: 1. Is the issue of self-esteem a problem among Christians (believers)? 2. How prevalent is it, if indeed it is a problem? 3. What does the Bible teach about this issue? 4. Should it even be an issue if the doctrine pertaining to our position in Christ is taught fully, clearly, and scripturally? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamnot Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 15 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 221 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 64 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/23/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/21/1945 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I believe that there is a dynamic relation between the two things: self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Christians, like anyone else can suffer from a lack of self-esteem, depending on their circumstances; their life space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 The Bible doesn't teach anything about self-esteem in the sense of how to have good self-esteem. It actually teaches that we are to esteem ourselves as less than others. That goes against the grain of our culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnut- Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 39 Topic Count: 101 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,673 Content Per Day: 1.30 Reputation: 7,358 Days Won: 67 Joined: 04/22/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted March 28, 2015 Recently a Christian posted his thanks to God for helping him deal with his issue of self-esteem. That triggered a few questions for general discussion: 1. Is the issue of self-esteem a problem among Christians (believers)? 2. How prevalent is it, if indeed it is a problem? 3. What does the Bible teach about this issue? 4. Should it even be an issue if the doctrine pertaining to our position in Christ is taught fully, clearly, and scripturally? Hello Ezra, Excellent topic. In my experience the issue of self esteem is very prevalent amongst Christians. Scripture teaches us that once we have accepted Christ we are forgiven our transgressions, so in a perfect world, this wouldn't be a problem. However, we don't live in a perfect world, we live in a fallen one, and the enemy is very real, and he is very clever. Believers will continue to be hounded by the enemy until he is done away with, and this seems to be a very successful instrument that he uses against believers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamnot Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 15 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 221 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 64 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/23/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/21/1945 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Studing the scripture develops in us the integrity; the hardiness to withstand the various push and pull pressures to conform to the world and enables us to have self-esteem without an undesirable sense of entitlement and with that bad boundaries. Self-esteem with humility is the end worth seeking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I think that it is part of the human condition, our sin nature if you will. We can't help but care how people see us; we can't help but judge ourselves by how we look in the mirror. Prayer helps, but results vary dendending upon our degree of surrender (I suppose.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmuffet Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 34 Topic Count: 1,995 Topics Per Day: 0.48 Content Count: 48,693 Content Per Day: 11.71 Reputation: 30,343 Days Won: 226 Joined: 01/11/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted March 28, 2015 I have dealt with self esteem issues in the past.That is where it is now...in the past.I do not care how people view me.I am the Daughter of the King and that is what is most important to me.I know He loves me more than I can imagine. The Bible tells us that God gave us worth when He purchased us to be His own people (Ephesians 1:14). Because of this, only He is worthy of honor and praise. When we have healthy self-esteem, we will value ourselves enough to not become involved in sin that enslaves us. Instead, we should conduct ourselves with humility, thinking of others as better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3).Romans 12:3warns, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/self-esteem.html#ixzz3VinqWxPR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn C Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 30 Topic Count: 272 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 13,314 Content Per Day: 3.49 Reputation: 8,562 Days Won: 12 Joined: 12/21/2013 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/06/1947 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Good scriptures there bopeep1909. My thoughts are that there has been such a great emphasis on `Who I am in Christ.` With the focus being on `me` which I would say has led many people to navel gaze & come out wanting. Building up expectations of `Who I am...` `Who I can become...` `Some great work God has for me...` etc etc. Thus I believe the balance needs to come round to - `I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord;.......that I may know Him,....` (Phil. 3: 8 & 10) `Till we all come in the unity of the faith, & of the knowledge of the Son of God......` (Eph. 4: 13) As the Holy Spirit opens our eyes more & more to `look unto Jesus the author & finisher of our faith..`(Heb. 12: 2) we will `seek those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.` (Col. 3: 1) We will seek to know Him more & more & find ourselves not concerned with `self` but becoming changed from glory to glory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted March 28, 2015 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,678 Content Per Day: 0.47 Reputation: 2,126 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/31/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted March 28, 2015 Hi Ezra .. As Bopeep stated, there is a healthy level of self esteem..Some Christians seem/are puffed up with knowledge, Prideful, opinionated and use many words vainly seeking self glory, rarely if ever giving glory to God..Some are in a dark area of self hatred not having on the armour of Christ, succumbing to the arrows of the enemy... God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted March 29, 2015 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.33 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 I believe that there is a dynamic relation between the two things: self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Christians, like anyone else can suffer from a lack of self-esteem, depending on their circumstances; their life space. gamnot, Do you feel churches provide that sense of belonging and Christians help to build up other Christians so that they feel they are valued in the local assembly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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