How to Get and Maintain a Powerful Self Image

As a pastor I can not imagine anything more important to my congregations than creating and retaining a good self image! However, this is true for all man kind. One's self image is significantly central because it largely determines your success, or lack of it in life.

Self image is the rational (or irrational) portrait we create and maintain of ourselves. It defines who and what we really are. Is your picture of yourself competent or incompetent; worthy or valueless; heroic or villainous?

Here is an equation for Self image: Self Image = Your Hopes + Your Beliefs + Your Values

This is the real you. It is not your station in life, even though circumstances can/do influence your image! It is the way we perceive and are perceived by others. As we live these perceptions out, our self portrait is created and maintained!

This development comes from your lifetime experiences.

For example, consider the case of young Samuel. Samuel was born out of wedlock from a mixed racial parentage. His status, although not in poverty was close. Think of the struggles internalized by his circumstances. Could Samuel ever get a powerful self image?

The answer is of course, “Yes!” If the parent(s) treat the child with love, he learns love and love becomes part of his self portrait; if the parent(s) and other care givers praise him, he adopts praiseworthiness in his picture. The negatives are there and they influence but the power of the positive affirmations can overcome.

The Power of Positive Affirmation

The power of positive affirmations is so great that sometimes even without the critical role of parents; Samuel could achieve a positive self image! Conclusion, we should blame no one for our faulty self image. Instead, let us discover how to create one and maintain it!

Self Image, Self Esteem and Self Worth develop:

1. As you gain skills and view your personal competence

2. By how other people treat and influence you

3. With your inner desire to improve (the spiritual and emotional components)

Please understand me, I am not a psychologist and some people need professional help. I am a pastor and my life’s work is to help people cope with life as it comes. Regardless of day-to-day trials, you can have and maintain a powerful self image.

The problem with most good people is that we all form unrealistic, idealistic, surreal images of what we have been convinced are acceptable. When we fall short, we commit self image suicide over and over. Then, as I face the Sunday congregation, I feel like I am speaking to jelly spined minnows following each other to nowhere. I am there to tell them they are important to God: and this is real power!

A powerful self image begins with self worth. Self worth is the sense of how you feel about yourself. Do you feel valuable? How important do you feel to yourself? You must begin with yourself. You have the power; it is in you! God, Himself, placed it there!

There is a Scriptural principle which comes to mind here:

Psalms 71:6(NIV translation) --From birth I have relied on you (GOD); you brought me forth from my mother's womb.I will ever praise you.

A poor self worth make a poor self image and it is a self-fulfilling prophesy, which means that what you expect to happen to you, in general does.

Low opinion makes you act out loser attributes; losers attract losers. A mist of bad fortune becomes a sprinkle of disaster which grows into tornadic catastrophe. To borrow an old metaphor, Humpty’s shell seems shattered and the egg appears impossible to put back together.

However, there is a power greater than catastrophe! This power is unleashed when you realize that you are someone and have been wondrously made. This power is the force that drives self esteem, how we value ourselves.

Psa 139:14 (KJV translation) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

SELF ESTEEM:

This is the way we feel about ourselves. It is all about our values!

Self Esteem = Emotional Values + Physical Values + Spiritual Values

Knowing that I am so precious to God enables me to have a sense of value, and to maintain personal worth throughout life. Our good judgment of self esteem enables us to think competently and worthily in coping with the challenges of life.

This result is inner happiness. Over the years of my active ministry I was amazed at the resilience of folks through such great tragedies as cancer and death. Many never lost a smile or a “God bless you!” What made the difference? Self image based on trust in God – this is real power!