June 29 – Loving Yourself as God Loves You
Self-love, when rooted in God’s love, is the beginning of all generosity. Parker Palmer
Gregg’s Reflection
For years, I thought loving myself was selfish—something that would draw me away from the humility and selflessness Christ calls us to. But over time, I’ve come to see that loving myself is not about indulgence; it’s about alignment with God’s truth.
If I believe that God knit me together with care, breathed life into me, and calls me “beloved,” then rejecting myself is, in some way, rejecting His workmanship. Loving myself means accepting the gift He has made in me—strengths, weaknesses, quirks, and all—and caring for that gift so that it can be offered fully to the world.
I’ve noticed that when I am harsh or unforgiving toward myself, I tend to be that way toward others. And when I extend grace inwardly, grace flows more easily outward. Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. That’s not a call to vanity, but to live from a place of belovedness, so that love overflows from within.
Scripture
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Mark 12:31
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
Ancient Quotes
He who knows himself is truly humble, and humility is the foundation of charity.
Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Steps of Humility and Pride
Do not despise yourself, for you are precious in God’s sight.
John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew
To love oneself rightly is to love the soul as God loves it, with compassion, not indulgence.
Gregory the Great, Moralia on Job, Book X
Modern Quotes
You are the beloved of God, not because you are perfect, but because you are perfectly loved.
Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
Self-love, when rooted in God’s love, is the beginning of all generosity.
Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak, p. 51
Journaling Prompts
- How do you usually speak to yourself—encouragingly or critically?
- What would it look like to receive God’s love for you without conditions?
- How might loving yourself well enable you to love others more deeply?
- Where do you need to show yourself grace right now?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 26 Reflection: Loving/Being Loved