Self-worth can be defined as how worthy we view ourselves, and is oftentimes accompanied by the term self-esteem.
Below are amazing Bible verses that captures the essence of why self-worth is important and to boost your confidence if you feel unworthy.
What does God say about me being worthy?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” -Marianne Williamson.
The theme of this quote ties into whatGod tells us over and over about us not being afraid of who we are and the light that is planted within us because of who we serve.
Recognizing that we were made in the very image of God, and as such, we shouldn’t allow others around us to define our worth but rather rely on who God says we are, “fearfully and wonderfully made!” (Psalms 139:14)
Psalms 139:13-14 - Your self-identity is you are God's Masterpiece
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your work, my soul knows it very well.”
Here, David was elaborating on the wonderful creation of God, everywhere he looked was something beautiful that God had made.
And then he further marveled at the creation of life, the way God molded him in his mother's womb, and the process and developmental stages of the birth of a human.
Forming humans in His own image. The Bible says we are God’s masterpiece, His handiwork created to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10), and like David, you too are wonderfully made.
So let it soak in that you have been crafted to perfection.
Isaiah 62:3 - Your self-image will be a crown of beauty
“You shall bea crown of beauty in the hand of theLord,and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”
Firstly, what is a diadem? This is a jeweled wreath or band worn around the head which represents sovereignty or honor.
In the amplified version of the Bible, it reads “You shall be so beautiful and thought of as a crown of glory in the hands of the Lord.” Take courage in knowing that this is how God sees us.
The chapter continues by saying once you go in the hands of the Lord, it doesn’t matter how desolate you were before, that will not be your story anymore, you shall be made new, like a crown of beauty.
1 Peter 3:3-4 - Look inside not outside for self-valuation
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.4Rather, it should be that of your inner self,the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
Many people today place all their emphasis on how they look on the outside and forget that the inside needs cleaning up too.
In this verse, Paul was specifically talking about Christian wives, that they should not base their sense of self-worth on how they look on the outside, or their riches, or even their intelligence, but rather be based on who they are in God’s eyes.
A lesson we all today should follow. Just know that your value does not decrease because others see you as beneath them.
And being rooted in Christ allows us to remain humble and of a quiet spirit, qualities that will never fade with age.
Never forget that your inner self is what God sees, and He will never pour His blessing and Spirit into a dirty bottle, no matter how shiny it is on the outside.
1 Peter 2:9 - Believe you are chosen for self-assurance
“But you area chosen race,a royalpriesthood,a holy nation,a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called youout of darkness intohis marvelous light.”
In this verse, Peter was referring to the Israelites as God’s chosen people, and just as they were, so are you.
And as the chosen, you are God’s special possession, and as Peter called us, a royal priesthood, called to live for Him and proclaim His excellence.
And when you accept that you belong to Him, royalty in God’s sight, it makes you value yourself more.
And by cultivating your inner beauty, it allows you to draw those who are in darkness to the light.
1 Samuel 16:7 - Don't judge on appearance for self-identity
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
In the world we live in today, it’s unfortunate how much we seem to judge others on what they look like.
And the term “Don’t judge a book by the cover” seems to be pushed back in the minds of even Christians. And we even fall prey to basing our self-worth on what others say about us or what we see.
However, this verse is another message to believers that God is not influenced by the expensive clothes we wear, the jewelry, or even the color of our skin, but rather by the pureness of our hearts.
2 Corinthians 4:16 - Our self-belief is renewed every day
“So we do not lose heart.Though our outer self is wasting away,our inner selfis being renewed day by day.”
Paul was going through a rough time in his life, a time in his life where trouble was on every side which bruised him both emotionally and physically.
But still, Paul did not give up. This is an encouragement to us as believers that we shouldn’t be discouraged because even if the outside looks weary and tired, our inner self is renewed every day.
And remember you are beautiful even with your scars!
Ephesians 3:11-12 - Christ gives you self-acceptance
“ This wasaccording to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,12in whom we haveboldness andaccess withconfidence through ourfaith in him.”
Here, Paul was stating that we are to confidently approach God in prayer.
Knowing if we only rely on our own strength, our prayer will not go further than the ceiling, but leaning on the power of God, we can boldly proclaim the mystery of God (Ephesians 6:19).
When we ask anything in prayer we should not doubt God or doubt what he has blessed us with.
And can apply this fact to any situation we face, where we can confidently go to God in prayer, knowing He will hear our prayers and answer them accordingly.
Hebrews 10:35 - Hold onto God's word for self-worthiness
“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which hasa great reward.”
The message of this verse is to encourage and strengthen Believers’ confidence. And don’t we need a little boost especially with everything going on in the world today?
The stresses that we have to deal with every single day will cause us to lose faith in God and even ourselves.
But today, God is instructing us that whenever we feel stressed out, we must hold on to His Words and be of good courage for with steadfast faith comes a great reward.
Hebrew 4:16 - He is waiting for us with open arms
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Fortunately for believers today, Jesus is aware of the struggles we face daily, I mean he too had His fair share of obstacles (V.15).
Jesus who sits high and looks low is inviting us to draw near to Him boldly in time of need.
Now more than ever, only under the blood of our Heavenly Father can we find grace and mercy.
And because of God’s love for us, He is waiting with open arms, inviting us to boldly bow at the foot of the cross freely and persistently.
Hebrews 13:6 - The Lord will give you self-respect
“So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Isn’t it good to know that we serve a true and living God? Isn’t it great to know Jesus, who sits at the righteous right hand of God, is always there when we need him the most?
It is the will of God for us to say with confidence “In God I put my trust, what can mere mortals do to me?”(Psalms 56:4)
That we will have no fear of sudden disaster because God has our backs. So regardless of what trials might come, we should remain content in knowing that the Word of God will never fail us.
Psalms 27:3 - Learn from David's confidence in God
“Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, even then I will be confident.”
This verse is the epitome of David’s confidence in the Lord. It also offers both a mental and physical message that tells us as Christians, that God does not give us a spirit of fear, because He is our confidence, and has promised to keep our feet from being caught.
The word of God did warn us that the enemy will be coming for us, but the Lord offers security that with Him, no one and nothing can be against us (Romans 8:31).
Joshua 1:9 - Be strong and courageous for self-empowerment
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged,for theLordyour God will be with you wherever you go.”
This command was given to Joshua while he was leading the people of Israel when they were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.
Can you imagine being responsible for over a hundred people in a desert for even ten years? Joshua was starting to doubt himself and his capabilities in leading a set of complaining people.
But then in his time with God, the Lord gave him these words of encouragement, words that we too should carry with us wherever we go or whenever we feel overwhelmed with the challenges ahead of us.
Don’t belittle yourself when the negative thoughts plague your mind but rather be strong and fearless.
Judges 6:15 - The story of Gideon (self-worthiness)
“And he said to him,“Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold,my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”
A definite dampener to our self-worth is what we all can agree to is a lack of self-esteem. The moments in our lives that contribute to our pessimistic thoughts and decrease our self-esteem.
So you can see how the two work interchangeably. Have you ever been placed in a role that you felt you were not good enough to be in?
Consider Gideon in the bible who was asked by God to save the Israelites and his reply was “God, How can little old me save anyone?”
He told God that he was not even considered important in his family. Gideon thought very lowly of himself and to him, this task was mission impossible.
But in verse 16 the Lord said “I will be with you.” Saying that to say Gideon’s self-worth was suffering because of his lack of self-esteem.
And like Gideon, we too wonder “What can God do with little old me?” But know that even when we look down on ourselves God will see the best in us.
Isaiah 43:1 - Accept the person whom God created you to be
“But now, thus says theLord, he who createdyou, O Jacob, he who formedyou, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemedyou;I have called you by name;you are mine.”
When you are feeling down, unloved, feeling like you don’t matter, or belong, and feeling like the world is against you, remember to whom you belong.
Whenever you’re shaken and moved by the very thought of trouble, because of the low self-esteem you suffer from, remember to whom you belong.
It’s time to accept the person who God created you to be and to not doubt yourself or God because you are His, and with him, you can move mountains.
Luke 12:7 - A reminder of how valuable we are to God
“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Perhaps you might feel that because you have too much baggage, God doesn’t even see you or knows you. Maybe you even believe that you are not worthy of anyone’s love.
This verse is a reminder of how valuable we are to God, another example of His unfailing love. He says you are more valuable than a hundred birds sold.
That alone should tell you how much you mean to Him. So if this is you and you have a sense of low self-worth, know that to Him you matter.
And you don’t need anyone to tell you how valuable you are, He says you do.
2 Timothy 1:7 - Be brave and have self-assurance
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,but gives us power,love, and self-discipline.”
Fear is the mental cage that locks us in and distracts us from successfully progressing in life and is one of the major contributing factors to having low self-esteem.
And to overcome those barriers sometimes even we as Christians need more than a motivational speech or pep talk.
Here, Paul was telling Timothy that even though there are many causes to be fearful, it’s doing his best to not obey the fear.
The fear that will cling to his insecurities or the fear that will tell him to run and hide. Instead, be brave and believe in himself, and to not deny the power of the Spirit he was given.
Conclusion
Whoever you are, whatever you look like, or whatever status you have in life, know that you matter to God.
You are more valuable than a thousand diamonds. And remember others cannot define your worth, you are perfect just the way you are.
