Spiritual relationship help &
Building self esteem

Self-love

Trust God for loving relationships, including self-love.

We all like to be in control. It starts young. Watch any two-year-old.

A friend’s son thought he would show her who was boss one day when she instructed him to do something. Striving to maintain control, this thirty-inch captain of the sandbox shouted, “no!” He then grabbed his backside and backed against a wall as protection for what he knew was coming.

Such struggles for control go all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God gave them everything they needed. But they wanted one more thing to make their life complete: the fruit from the tree that gave knowledge of good and evil. They wanted security. They wanted power, control, and knowledge. They thought they knew best.[1]

Don’t we all like things to happen our way, on our timetable, and on our terms? Don’t we like to believe our way is best?

Our expectations keep us struggling to mold the perfect family, be number one, obtain recognition in a certain way, and prove we are right. Our constant striving for one more fruit keeps us from loving ourselves, others, and God.

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Copyright © 2003 by Christine N. Karcher. Chris Karcher is the author of Relationships of Grace, Amazing Things I Know About You, and Relationships of Grace Workbook. To order books and tapes, schedule Chris for speaking engagements, or subscribe to Chris’ newsletter, visit www.relationshipsofgrace.com, email order@relationshipsofgrace.com, or call 1-877-GET-GRACE (1-877-438-4722).