Discovering Healthy Self-Love as a Christian Entrepreneur
As someone who deeply values hard work, I was surprised when God put the message of “healthy self-love” on my heart a few years ago. Self-love? “Ew! Gross!
We shouldn’t love ourselves as Christians. Also, who has time for that?” I certainly didn’t. I was too busy adulting and trying to grow my self-discipline business.
But after years of helping people grow in their self-discipline—a godly fruit—I found that their struggle wasn’t due to a lack of desire to lose weight, manage time better, or whatever area I was helping them in. They struggled with self-discipline because of a lack of self-respect and self-love.
This led me to learn the importance of healthy self-love. But what about Christians? Aren’t we supposed to deny ourselves? Didn’t Paul say in Romans that there is nothing good in us?
Well, as Christians, we know from Matthew 22, the greatest commandment Jesus gave us: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. And the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Was that a typo? No, it wasn’t.
We must learn to love ourselves in a godly way before we can properly love our neighbors.
The world’s version of self-love is completely selfish, but thankfully, scripture guides us on what true love looks like. Love appears in the Bible 300-800 times, depending on translation. 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a comprehensive passage on it: “Love is patient, love is kind…”
So, let me ask you: Are you patient with yourself? Are you kind to yourself?
Getting back to my dilemma: How can I “self-love” if I am a hard-working business owner?
The answer lies in grace.
As entrepreneurs, we are often our own toughest critics, working long hours and pushing ourselves to the limit. But God gives us rest and perfect peace when we are fixed on him, reminding us that our worth is not measured by our productivity or achievements.
Grace allows us to recognize that we don’t have to do it all on our own. It’s about trusting in God’s timing, acknowledging our limitations, and understanding that we are worthy of care and compassion.
Embracing grace as entrepreneurs means giving ourselves permission to rest when needed, forgiving ourselves when we fall short, being patient and kind to ourselves, and finding peace in knowing that God’s love for us is unconditional. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, we can continue to grow, both personally and professionally, without burning out or losing sight of what truly matters.
So, as you continue to work diligently and build your business, remember that healthy self-love isn’t about doing whatever you want; it’s about stewardship, taking care of the vessel God has given you—your body, mind, and spirit—so that you can continue to serve others with excellence. Practicing healthy self-love will make you a better spouse, parent, friend, and leader.
