Low Self-esteem: Will I fit in? Will I make it?

There are days when you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and think: "Oh boy, what's wrong with my hair, or I'm too skinny, my nose is too big, my skin is full of acne...". To be honest, It is comprehensible if this happens once in a while, and It is okay for youths to take care of their physical appearance, God does not prohibit them to do so. However, if these complaints start becoming a habit, then the time has come to stop and carefully analyze what is really happening. It is time to seek the help of God. 

Low self-esteem consists of a series of ideas that were formed during some part of a person's life. It acts over human conduct and provokes feelings of guilt, and excessive emotional load related to frequent thoughts of little self-assurance. The person always has a feeling of frustration for discouraging his/her capacity and personal ability. 

The Bible mentions a number of cases about low self-esteem that were treated by God. A very clear example was Hannah, a woman who could not bear children and was constantly humiliated by her husband's other wife, Peninnah. She spent years of her life distressed and feeling as if she were the worse woman to walk the planet. In those days a woman who could not have children was looked at by society as someone insignificant. However, when Hannah left her little world of "poor me" and entered the presence of the Almighty God to talk to Him about her issues, He immediately answered!

God is only able to change a person's story when inside of him/her exists the willingness to share with Him his/her problems. If He is placed as the only solution for your life, certainly He will reign, and He will do it quickly for God is in a hurry to make positive changes!

Jesus is completely aware of the difficulties that men face; this can be proved through the book of John 16:33, where it is said that in the wolrd human beings would have afflictions, but that we must keep the faith, for He himself overcame the world!

Maybe, youth, your self-esteem is low not because of the way you look, but rather because of the clothe you wear, or the house you live in, or the car your dad drives. Whatever issue you have, go to Him. All of those who went to Him, received the solution to their problems. Nothing changed ever since, He still continues to transform the lifes of those who truly believe.

Faith In Action

Whoever waits for a miracle as if it were magic from God will never experience one. That’s because a miracle doesn’t only depend on the Holy Spirit to happen - there must be partnership with the one who believes in Him and takes action.

Since God created human beings, He never performed any miracles without His creatures’ participation. He created the animals, but it was up to Adam to name them - this was a sign of His authority given to Adam over the earth.

From that moment on, all other miracles resulted from this partnership between the Creator and the creature. That’s why Paul affirms that we are God’s fellow workers. (1 Corinthians 3.9).

If a desire is strictly according to the will of God, then it comes from God. And in the same way that He gives us a dream, He also gives us the ability to achieve it.

The realisation of our dreams starts within us, based on attitudes of faith. If I want to achieve a dream I need to take attitudes of faith towards it. I must apply all my efforts to it and never lose focus.

In practice, it’s like getting married, for example. I have no one, no financial conditions, nothing… Just a great desire to get married.

Then I start buying my trousseau. First I buy the cheaper things. Every month, according to my financial conditions, I add something to my trousseau. This is pure practical faith!

In the partnership with God, each hero of faith did his part:

1. Noah built the ark according to God’s instructions. When he finished it, God sent the flood;

2. According to God’s instructions, Abraham left his country. As a result, God made him a great nation;

3. In obedience to God’s instructions, Moses lifted up his rod and touched the Red Sea. God sent a wind and parted the sea for His people to cross.

4. Inspired by God, Joshua prayed, and God made the solar system to stand still;

5. God guided Gideon to surround the enemies with only three hundred men. The enemies were the Midianites, the Amalekites and all the people of the East. They were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts. (Judges 7.12)

Gideon’s physical vision was terrifying, but the spiritual one was glorious. God made terror take control of the enemies and they killed each other;

6. The Lord put a mud mixture on the eyes of a man who was born blind and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam; after he had done that, he immediately started seeing.

If God has worked both to will and to do, for His good pleasure (Philippians 2.13), what have you been doing to achieve

Bishop Edir Macedo

UCKG Founder

Clean Your Heart!

There are youths in the YPG who truly desire for a transformation to take place in their hearts.

God is very simple, He will never ask of us what we cannot do. In order for a transformation to take place, we must first stop making excuses and recognise who we are before God. We must stop saying we want to change, and show that we want to change.

There are youths who say they want to change, they pray about it, but they choose to keep grudges in their hearts, they speak badly about others and so on. Their conscience is being accused, yet they bring this behaviour to the church.

"God is very simple, He will never ask of us what 
we cannot do."

It is not that God does not want to change them, or that their prayers are not working. It is simply because when it comes down to it, when someone looks at them in the wrong way, when someone offends them, they choose to make that person their enemy.

Imagine for a moment if God hated us the way we humans are capable of hating one other. They spat at Jesus, mocked and came against Him daily. And what did Jesus do?...He forgave them each and every time. Yet some believe they have the right to hold a grudge against a person because of the way they looked at them? Come on!

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Mathew 5:43-48)

If God Himself is willing to see us as perfect, who are we to see and treat others as our enemies? Part of transformation is when you put a stop to all the grudges, division and gossip.

When you apply this Word to your life, even your enemies become your friends! Remember, it is always your choice. Today, you will have the choice to make enemies or friends...