Few things limit us more profoundly than our own beliefs about what we deserve, and few things liberate us more powerfully than daring to broaden our locus of possibility and self-permission for happiness. — Maria Popova.
This morning, I found myself thinking about the above wisdom. How often do we beat ourselves up, believing we don’t deserve good fortune, happiness, or love. We so desperately want such things, but have doubts about whether we are worthy, and even when they happen we can’t enjoy because of our doubts about self-worth.
God, like he does so many times, throws that kind of thinking in full reverse. No-one deserves the unconditional and overwhelming love of God, yet his love is there for the asking.
I’ve hosted a few pity parties in my life, but thanks to the wisdom of people such as Maria Popova, Bruce Lee, Rilke, and James Baldwin I’ve learned that happiness is not dependent on what we deserve, but in learning to accept life as it comes. Next time, you start to doubt what you deserve, throw those thoughts in the trash, and love yourself as much as God does.
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