The Sin of Low Self Esteem?

Is having low self esteem a sin? That was the question that went through my mind last Sunday afternoon after church. What got me thinking about this was an interesting discussion that took place during Sunday school that morning. We were comparing the wisdom of men with God’s true wisdom. As the class progressed, some men brought up specific forms of human wisdom that should be rejected by Believers.

Our Sunday school teacher who is very well trained in doctrine and Scripture, brought up the fact that psychology was being used in Christian ministries today. He felt very strongly that any kind of psychology or counselling methodology did not belong in the Church. This was because much of that information comes from human wisdom instead of Scripture. I happen to agree with him that psychology has no place in public ministry within the Church. When it is used there will always be the temptation to move away form Scripture and preach mans wisdom completely. Also much of the change that takes place through psychology or counselling does not truly affect the heart. So band aids end up constantly being placed on a wound that needs surgery.

Our discussion on the usefulness of psychology in the church led to what I view as a more serious question. Is having low self esteem a sin for Believers? Some in our class would answer that question with a strong yes. In their view those who are struggling with low self esteem need to repent of that sin to God. In one sense I agreed with them that those who struggle with this many times focus on themselves instead of God which is a sin. But to say that low self esteem itself is a sin isn’t something that I can agree with.

I have suffered from low self esteem for the majority of my life. It is not something overwhelming that requires medication or counseling. Instead it involves a part of my mind that is constantly telling me that I can’t do things. I realize that this is Satan trying to discourage me so that I cannot accomplish God’s Will for my life. And by focusing instead upon Christ and the standing I have in him by God’s grace I am able to overcome those temptations.

But according to a few men in my Sunday school class last Sunday I am a sinner because I struggle with low self esteem. The discussion reminded me of a conversation I had with a good friend about my low self esteem issues. He told me repeatedly that I was wrong and simply needed to repent of my sin and stop doing it. What he did not understand is low self esteem (or a tendency to put myself down) is literally a part of my personality. It is not just something that I can turn on or off.

There are thousands of people in the world today who suffer from low self esteem. These people literally feel as if they are worthless and nobody could possibly love them. It is true that they focus too much on their own problems and allow those feelings of worthlessness to permeate their lives. But they are also in great need of Christ’s love and acceptance. This can be done by leading them to saving knowledge in Christ, and then focusing their eyes on the glorious blessings they have as a child of God. But it also involves embracing these discouraged souls and telling them of a God who does not feel they are worthless. We must come up with a much better response to their problem than, “stop it.”

Redefining Failure

“If you are where God wants you, fulfilling the responsibilities he has given you, you are successful. In fact, when that is the case, you are as successful as you will ever be.1 Success's is remaining faithful to the process God has laid out for you.2”

This paragraph reminds me of a conversation that I had with a friend a few months ago about failure. We were discussing the fact that many people (including both of us) are afraid to take chances. After a while she asked me why I was afraid to take risks. I told her that I was afraid of failure. The truth is that most of us if we were honest would say the same thing. That was when the conversation took an interesting turn. My friend asked me for a definition of failure.

Her question surprised me and I had to think about it for a few moments. How do you define failure? Finally I told her that failure was when things don't turn out the way that we want them to. In other words, If I attempted to teach a class in a way that led to discussion instead of simply lecture and nobody talked, then the class was a failure. This is the definition held to by most people today. If they don't agree with it verbally, their actions and attitude confirms it. Just look at someone who makes plans and things don't turn out perfectly. Most times they become discouraged because the entire situation is viewed as a failure.

But is that the true definition of failure? As our discussion continued I along with my friend came up with a hypothetical situation. Lets say a person is commanded by God to go witness to his friend. He does so in a spirit of love and truth, sharing the Gospel in a way that is pure doctrinally, but also with an attitude of humble love. His friend rejects the Gospel and slams the door in his face. Has the Christian failed? He did everything that God called him to do in the right way. Therefore the answer to the question is no, he did not fail. Instead this christian accomplished God's Will for his life.

Our definition of failure must change. If a person does God's Will in a way that brings glory to God then he has not failed. Do you realize what that means? It means that we can fall flat on our faces and still take confidence in the fact that, if we have completed God's Will, we are not failures. Literally what we are given is a freedom to fail! Now obviously we should not just go out and try to do things poorly. But this new definition of failure can give us the confidence to go out and attempt things that may not work out. Even those things that probably won't work out!

In about two months on October 27 I am going to begin teaching a class on Bible Study Methods using materials from the Bible College where I am currently ministering. It will be taught at a local church on Monday nights at about 7:00. This is something that I wanted to do for months, taking the college classes to the people instead of asking them to come to the college. The only problem is that I don't have any students.

Not only that, but there has been very little interest in the college classes at this time. Yet I feel that God has called me to begin planning as if a large amounts of students will come. So I am creating flyer's and letters promoting the class. Preparing lesson plans and power point presentations to use in the class sessions. Talking to pastors about holding the class at their facilities. I realize there is a high chance that on October 27 there will be no students. All of that work can be for nothing and I will go down in a blaze of glory. But I am willing to take that chance. Because no matter what happens on October 27, I will not be a failure.

Andy Stanley, Visionnering, pg.46, par.1, ln.3
Andy Stanley, Visionnering, pg.46, par.2, ln.1