Radical Self-Acceptance

One of things that keep us from fully knowing God, ourselves and others is our lack of self-acceptance. Without self-acceptance we have no choice but to deny some part of ourselves that we struggle with.

We do that because that part we struggle with makes us feel ashamed of ourselves in some way. Shame makes us feel awful inside so we avoid it by denying the part of ourselves we think is unacceptable. This becomes a vicious cycle that ultimately leaves us feeling helpless .

Radical self-acceptance is the key to changing unwanted or undesirable behaviors in ourselves. This does not mean we necessarily like or admire this part of ourselves but we need to learn how to accept and allow ourselves the freedom to experience our feelings fully, without reproach.

Proverbs 23:7 states: "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." We become what we really think in our hearts. The heart is our core, our deepest part of our self, our unconscious. It is the center of who we are. God sees the heart, we do not. We have to train ourselves to see that which is hidden from us. We have to develop the ability to see our own hearts.

We can attempt to think good thoughts in our minds, but if deep in our hearts we continue to deny parts of ourselves that we believe are unacceptable, we continue to have a heart of shame, a heart that says' "I am not acceptable".

Our life will then reflect what the heart really believes.

Today, allow your feelings to be experienced fully, acknowledge them, give them a space to breath. Stop judging yourself. You are not your feelings, but you are your heart.

If I believe any part of me is unacceptable, I will hide. I will hide parts of me from God, from others and from myself and the healing, peace and joy I long for will continue to slip away from my life. Being honest about who you are, what is happening and what you need with someone you trust can be the beginning of the healing you long for.

Today declare: " I accept all of me, God accepts all of me, I will not hide myself from God or myself anymore."