No more Self-rejection!

"And so, like runaway slaves, we either flee our own reality or manufacture a false self which is mostly admirable, mildly prepossessing, and superficially happy. We hide what we know or feel ourselves to be (which we assume to be unacceptable and unlovable) behind some kind of appearance which we hope will be more pleasing." (Simon Tugwell)The truth is, God loves us as we honestly are -- even if we don't. I remember sitting up late one night watching the stars not really thinking of anything, when He spoke ever so calmly, "try being honest with me." I vividly remember realizing that often times we try to bring our "best" self to Him and truthfully He sees through my "mask."We like it when others are authentic with us... so does He. We have defeated ourselves because of our own low self-esteem. We think so poorly of ourselves that we have trouble imagining that He would even want to associate with us, forget being good to us.Henri Nouwen said, "Self rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life, because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved." Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.You are the "Beloved"! He accepts you as you are! Don't allow your self-rejection to keep you from knowing Him!