I want to preface this by saying that I am not against getting professional help. There are many good Christ-centered counselors that are out there but you have to really do your research.
After living a self-absorbed life for several years I became depressed to the point that everyone was telling me to visit a psychiatrist. So, I finally dialed a number and made an appointment.
Today, as I hear others talk about their experiences with psychiatrists, one of the more common statements patients hear during their therapy is they need to “love themselves more.” My response was, “No, I think I love myself really well. I do exactly what I choose to do whether it hurts anyone or not. I eat, drink, and practice all kinds of things that give me happiness and pleasure. I am a master at throwing pity parties and I make sure that I get exactly what I need and want. If I am completely honest, I am number one in everything that happens in my life. I love myself and it shows!” Of course, after thirty minutes of sitting there just listening to me ramble the doctor bends down and writes a prescription and tells me to start taking this drug and it will help me see things more clearly.
No doubt the medicine helped the fog that had taken over my mind to dissipate but it did nothing to detour my self-centered mindset and my desperately wicked heart so I continued on down the same road until I lost everything that had any value, even it I could not see the value at that time.
Even after the medication I found myself still drunk on my self pity and so I finally came to a place that I decided to look outside of myself and my fellow humans. I discovered that my Creator never asked anyone to love themselves. Matter of fact, the more I read the words of Jesus he spoke exactly the opposite. Over and over again Jesus spoke about denying yourself, giving it all away, loving God and loving others around you, seeking first Kingdom principles, being last so that you can be first, being a servant so you can lead, and the list goes on. Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Jesus knew full well that we have no problem loving ourselves, all he asks is come and learn of him how to exchange that love for his love and direct it to others around us. When I gave myself away to Christ then He became my all in all. God became my Father and only then could I find rest from my self-seeking, self loving and ultimately a self destructive way of living. Jesus can do the same for anyone.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” ~ Matthew 16; 24-26