I believe that one of the greatest areas of struggle that women face in our society today is a lack of understanding about their identity. I also believe the root behind insecurity stems from the unfulfilled core desire of every woman, which is the need to be loved; And even from a young child, many of us have looked for the answer of the unending question, am I worthy of love, and often in the wrong places. Whether you have asked yourself this question out loud before, or it is the first time you have thought about it, I’m sure almost every woman has asked herself this question in her heart.

With the ever prevalent images and messages that come at us through magazines, shows, social media, and movies, we are constantly having a picture painted for us that would tell us what a woman should be, in order to be lovely. Unfortunately, if we do not feel that we live up to that unrealistic standard, deep down so many of us struggle with the lies that we are ugly, flawed, not good enough, and therefore, unworthy of love.

After struggling with eating disorders for many years, I know this feeling all too well. I was constantly comparing myself and measuring my self worth among societies standards, and other girls, which always left me feeling that I was coming up short. This mindset led to unhealthy behaviors and thoughts, which led me to believe that ifI looked a certain way, that I would finally feel beautiful and confident, and therefore worthy of love.

After years of trying to control my weight, and getting down to dangerously low body fat levels, I can now look back and say without hesitation that I was never satisfied. In fact, the struggle and strain that I put on my body and mind in order to maintain a 'perfect' image only led to further dissatisfaction with my body and self-worth.

Ultimately, my road to healing began when I started to look to Jesus for my validation and I let Him answer my ever present question, am I worthy of love?

If you can relate, begin to ask yourself this question: Do You Know that You are Worthy of Love?

You are not worthy because you are skinny enough, you have the most beautiful hair, you are toned, or you are the best dressed. You are not worthy of love because you are the smartest, you are the most organized, are the best mom, or are the most successful. You are not worthy of love because you have the cleanest house, have the most perfect marriage, or have the most beautiful skin.

You my friend are WORTHY of love, simply because God created you, and He loves you! He loves you so much that He created every detail of you with great though in mind, so there could never be anyone quite like you! You were designed in order to fulfill the special purpose and plan that He has for you. And you were created in the image of God! (Genesis 1:27)

Now, this might all sound wonderful, but let's get down to the nitty-gritty on actually applying this principal- because let's face it, at the end of the day, we may know that we are accepted and loved by God, but we also want to feel good about ourselves, and having peoples approval certainly helps!

I can speak from experience when I say, this is where the work and time must be put in to renew our minds with Gods word. Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This scripture was a vital part to my inner healing, and it truly was the first step in finding my fulfillment in the Lord.

You see, it wasn't until I actually laid down my “self” down and traded it in for the fulfillment that Christ brings that I truly was satisfied. I will be honest and tell you that it is a process, and it doesn't happen overnight, but the peace of knowing who I am in Christ is well worth the effort!

I can now honestly say that I am free from the bondage of self-acceptance, or the need to be approved by others, simply because I know that I am loved by God almighty! This doesn't mean that I don't have days when I have to remind myself of the truth, and laying self at the feet of Jesus is a daily (and sometimes multiple time a day) event. However, the freedom, joy, and acceptance that only He can give is the very thing that keeps me running back to Him.

I pray that this devotional encouraged you today, and that no matter where you are today, you have a revelation that the very one who created you calls you worthy of love- just as you are at this very moment. He finds no spot, flaw, or blemish in you, (Song of Solomon 4:7), and He wants you to find satisfaction in His love today!