There are parts of us that, if we are honest with ourselves, we do not like.
And if we think about it and try and remember the first time we thought that dislike about ourselves, then we can find that the influence to do so was often made by another person in our lives.
Someone poked fun at something about us that we never saw before. Or another made a comment about how we do something in a strange way or what we like and prefer is not what others like and prefer. Before we know it those words have gone deep within us. The evidence of it gaining root in our hearts is seen in us having taken hold of what was said about us negatively and making it our own self-criticism.
What we hopefully gain to learn as we grow older is that a lot of what has been criticized about us and who we are came from someone who wanted to make us feel inferior to them. They pointed something out in us to deflect from their own insecurities they have with themselves.
When I came to understand that what was negatively brought to my attention about myself by another was because that person had an issue and an insecurity to cover up, I started to see that what was being criticized by them, and eventually myself as a result, was actually something that could be seen as a strength of mine.
For example, I was told when I was younger that I was bossy. This made me quiet my voice a lot and doubt when I felt led to share my thoughts and opinions. In truth, however, that criticism of me being bossy would have been better fit to point out instead that I was a natural leader. Or being told that I was too passionate with my beliefs about Christ, instead of being encouraged of my faithfulness and obedience to Him.
Those negative criticisms we have heard about ourselves do not carry weight unless we give them permission to do so. Decide today to silence that critical voice you hear often in your head and instead build yourself up.
If someone chose to tear down a part of you that they said they did not like, lean into why they did not like that part. Is it because it is actually a treasure you have and that they have tried in vain to tarnish out of jealousy?
Maybe your “loud mouth” is really capable of being a great speaker and therefore a gift to be brought to this world. Or your “over the top caring” is really a compassionate and empathetic heart that is greatly needed in this time.
Do not let others twist how you see yourself anymore. Let God show you what He put in you and how He made you for His Kingdom and glory. It will not surprise me that what you hate most about yourself, is exactly what God made as a part of you that He wants to use to reach the world.