Intimacy Begins with Self-Acceptance

Our pastors have begun a new series of sermons based on God's plan for your life. When I was young I had a lot of anxiety about "finding" God's plan for my life. When a young minister asked me to marry him, I agreed because I thought the reason I didn't want to marry him was because I didn't want to be a minister's wife and maybe that was God's plan for me. Fortunately, with my mother's support, I was able to end the engagement. I caused this young man unnecessary pain, but happily he found another woman who was a better fit for him.

I began to realize God's creation is perfect and glorifies Him just by being. Just look around at the beauty of the earth. The recent Rose Bowl Parade showed the splendor of thousands of flowers. Hundreds of varieties color the earth. They do nothing to get attention. They glorify the Creator of such beauty by being. God created each one of us unique. There is no one in the world like you. You are a once in history event.

When I began to understand that concept, my anxiety about finding God's plan for my life ended. I began to realize God's plan for my life is to accept who He created me, flaws and strengths and all. Then trust that whatever I choose to do He will empower me to be who I was created to be. That's how we glorify God and begin to experience the beauty of intimacy. It begins with the God of love, and flows from us to those around us.

People who accept themselves become free to accept another person. They understand that if I give up me, there will be no relationship. If there is no you, there is nobody to relate from not even to God. Self-acceptance is the first challenge to experience intimacy and learning to be soul mates.