7 Verses to Remind Us Where Our Worth Comes From
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- Published Jul 13, 2023
Worth. Not the kind that determines an item’s expense, but the kind we feel on an emotional level. A spiritual level. Worth is a word I still grapple to understand today, but I know it’s a word that means very much. Worth is mentioned in songs, in movies, in literature. Worth even appears in the Bible. People talk about their worth too, how they aren’t worth the bad treatment they receive at work or at home. Sometimes worth isn’t the word they use, but worth is exactly what they mean.
As a child with terrible self-esteem, I remember thinking to myself, why do I feel so bad about myself when other people feel so good? They seemed to know something about themselves, or about life, or about God, that I didn’t. Only as I grew older and wiser did I realize no struggle that I face in life is a struggle unique to me.
Worth has been discussed in so many places by so many people because, like me, others have encountered their own strife. They’ve asked themselves similar questions.
Am I worthy? What am I worth? Can I earn more worthiness?
Perhaps these are questions you, too, have asked. Perhaps you’re asking them today. What do you make of your own worth? Can a price tag be put on you? Is your worthiness defined by what you do?
I’m still not sure how to answer some of these questions, but being a Christian, I know my worth comes from God. Some people feel good when they define themselves by what they do. However, when they are no longer able to do those things, suddenly their worth is gone. But is that how worth is supposed to function for us? Here today and gone tomorrow?
If you consult Scripture, the answer is a resounding no.
When you understand God, you realize His love isn’t contingent upon the day and its circumstances or upon what we do. He loves us in spite of all of that. But as I said before, worth is still a question I grapple with today.
Not every day do I wake up feeling worthy of God’s love and his blessings. I don’t always feel worthy of my job as a writer or as a dance teacher. Maybe you’re the same. Maybe some days you wake up, and you aren’t sure that you’re worthy of your career, your family, your friendships, or life itself. Maybe you aren’t sure how much you’re worth at all. But you should at least remember one thing; you are worth something.
God’s Word is clear about that, but if today you’re in need of a reminder, then here are 7 verses to read when you forget your worth!
7 Verses to Read When You Forget Your Worth
“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?” (1 Psalm 8:3-4)
With all that goes on in the world, sometimes we are left questioning our role in everything. That’s especially true, knowing that when most of us die and all the people we know pass on, memories of us will vanish. How, then, are we to feel worthy? That’s where Scripture helps us understand that amidst all of the beautiful things and people God has created, He uniquely designed you and me. He assigned meaning to our lives, no matter how ephemeral they happen to be.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
We can consider ourselves worthy because of God’s love for humanity. He loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us, not out of obligation but choice. We were worth dying for.
“For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
Sometimes people mistakenly believe their worth is tied to their achievements. Likewise, other people detract from their worth based on failures. We’re worthy because of God’s love for us, and in that love, He has set us free. We’re free from the sin that entangles us and the thoughts of unworthiness that result.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
God created many things, but only one creation bears His image.
“For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
Since our lives receive worth from God, we can conclude then that worthiness began when God brought us into creation. Not necessarily in the womb, but in the moment, He designed a plan for our lives.
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17-18)
In our lowest moments, we feel so far from God and feel the most unworthy. Sometimes this results from our own sinful choices and sometimes from the harsh realities of life thrown at us. Either way, God is willing and able to comfort the brokenhearted. We may doubt His love in these moments, but that love is ever-present.
“Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31)
Nothing, not one thing, happens to you or me without God’s knowing. He’s aware of even the most minute detail of our lives, the things we don’t even think about. Let me encourage you to believe in His love for you and, ultimately, in your worth.
Conclusion
I wouldn’t dare blame you for doubting your worth. If your parents lacked in their affirmation, if you’ve experienced horrific relationships or other circumstances, I’m confident you have valid reasons for your feelings. Though I don’t blame you for all your reactions, that doesn’t stop me from encouraging you to choose a different reality today. You may have felt unworthy before, but you can choose worthiness now.
Fight the good fight in your mind and pray to the one who loves you more than you even love yourself. There’s a reason for worthiness. You just have to believe it.
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