Identity – the power of love

Shaping of identity

Countless factors affect our lives. Our self-esteem determines how we treat other people, how much love we let in and ultimately how happy we are. If you have enough love and respect for yourself, you can go through life with much more assurance and confidence.
Depending on formative influences, self-esteem may first have to be re-learned. Relationships with caregivers from childhood and adolescence shape self-confidence and the ability to build healthy relationships later on in life. A lack of self-esteem can lead to people not considering themselves unworthy of love or, in the worst case, unworthy of existing. Personal self-esteem has an impact on the quality of interpersonal relationships and social well-being.

Identity crisis: the struggle for one's own “self”

It is hard to imagine our everyday lives without online social media. In addition to the positive potential social media offers for communication, networking and the dissemination of information, they also harbor challenges and risks. They influence the way we think, speak and feel. They dictate how we should dress and act. This development makes it difficult to find personal identity and self-respect.
For some, especially young people, this can lead to eating disorders, cutting, drug use or other destructive behavior. The person affected simply does not believe that they are worthy of love and value. The inner pain can run so deep that a lasting cure is virtually unthinkable without professional help. In addition to the family, the social environment and circle of friends also play a key role here. Encouragement, praise or reassurance from parents or friends can significantly improve the emotional state of the sufferer and help to overcome the crisis of identity.
The identity of Christians is based on their relationship with God. They live in the certainty that God is greater than themselves, who loves them without reservation, without restraint, without measure.

Identity and love

True love, as Christianity understands it, has a great deal to do with appreciation, esteem and respect. The one who loves rejoices in the uniqueness of the other and promotes their development.
The Bible teaches us what it means to love. Love has the highest priority in the Holy Scriptures: “Therefore you shall love the LORD, your God, …” (Deut 6:5) and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lev 19:18) In Christianity, love for God, love for one’s neighbor and love for oneself are crucial (cf. Lk 10:27). For those who respect themselves will also respect others. A reasonable level of self-love and self-respect is essential in order to build and maintain healthy relationships. You can treat yourself with the same kindness and appreciation that you would show your best friend: How does my friend see me? What does he admire and appreciate me for? You can also look inside yourself and ask: What are my interests? Where do I thrive? What do I like to strive for? When and where was the last time I really laughed? Who do I often compare myself to and why?

Look inside yourself

Take time for yourself. Open the Bible and gain inspiration from it. It is like a compass that you can use as a guide. Take note of what moves you, how you feel and how you treat others. Even if you discover aspects of yourself that you don’t like – do not look away. You will never get to know yourself completely. Only God knows who you really are! He doesn’t just love you when you are perfect. People who love you will also help you to better understand yourself. You can be yourself. It doesn’t matter what others think about you. The most important thing is what God thinks about you! In Jesus, you can see how profusely God loves you. He gives his everything for you, even his life!