Do You Feel Worthless?
When you hate your life and yourself, you often feel worthless. But you're not alone. The reality is, that every one of us questions our value at some point.
- Do people like me?
- What does my life matter to anyone? Does anyone really care?
- People say such mean things about me, that must be what I’m really like.
- Why do people hurt me? I must not deserve any better
- Why am I such a mess up?
- Why doesn’t anyone notice me?
We Base Our Worth on What People Think
We all base our worth on how others view us. If someone else finds me worthy of their love, I must be worth something, right? But if I don’t feel like I am receiving approval from anyone, if no one else is noticing my worth, then maybe I’m not worth anything.
We base our value on praise from others either for something we’ve done or bought or the way we look...because essentially, if someone else thinks I’m O.K., then I must be O.K.
While I would like to say, don’t worry about what others think, I don’t think that is realistic.
I think all of us are wired this way….we are wired to be loved and accepted.
Base Our Worth on What God Thinks
The problem is people never love perfectly. Their views and opinions are constantly changing. They can never completely fill us up. And quite honestly, some people love horribly.
Let me just say to the child who has never been unconditionally loved or accepted by a parent, I am truly sorry, but it is NOT your fault, and it does NOT mean you are worthless.
I believe the only way to gain deep-rooted self-worth is to understand how God, your creator, views you. Even if you struggle with something as dark as depression and suicidal thoughts, God can and will help you, because His love is perfect, unconditional, and pure. He thinks you are worthy. Once you understand this in the core of your being, in your soul, you will no longer depend on the fleeting approval of others, but your worth will be built on the solid foundation of an unchanging God.
It is absolutely possible with God's help to stop hating yourself. If you will start looking at yourself the way God sees you, you can change your self-loathing to self-assurance. You can change from hating yourself to knowing you are made in God's image. God says you are: awesome, special, loved, cherished, beautiful, chosen, and so much more.
God talks to us through His Word, the Bible. It is His love letter to you. The Bible is full of the truth about how God feels about you.
Do you ever wonder "Am I worthy of God's love?"
Below are some of my favorite verses from the Bible that describe who you are in God's eyes.
Let these words soak in. You can even try inserting your name into any one of these statements from the Bible.
Bible Verses about Feeling Worthless
God designed you and thought of you before you were born
Imagine being dreamed about before you were even born – God dreamed about you!
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:13-16)
God Thinks about you
Imagine how it would feel to have someone love you so much they couldn’t stop thinking about you – that’s God!
"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" (Psalm 139:17-18)
God Sings over you
Imagine someone singing a love song just for you- God does!!
"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
God Will Never Forget You
Imagine someone tattooing your name on their hand – God has!!
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” (Psalm 49:15-16)
God will never abandon you
Imagine never having to worry about being alone – God is always there.
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." (Deuteronomy 31:8)
God Delights in you
Imagine someone who finds joy in knowing you – God does!
"He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me." (Psalm 18:19)
"The LORD’s delight is in those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His unfailing love." (Psalm 147:11)
God Cares for you
Imagine someone who is willing to take on your burdens – God will!
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
God makes you NEW
Imagine someone who doesn’t care about your past, but will accept you and make you new – that’s God.
"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
God sees you as a Masterpiece
Imagine being thought of as priceless, created with a purpose in mind.
"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)
God Loves You
Imagine a love so deep that someone would offer their child’s life to save yours and then make you their child – that’s what God did.
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
"Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." (Ephesians 1:4)
"See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1)
God Saves You
Imagine that despite your past mistakes, someone offers you a do-over for free, that will not be taken away – God offers you this!
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." (Romans 8:1-2)
Did the Words Sink In?
Are you beginning to understand? You are SO precious. Not because of what people think, not because of what you do, not because you look a certain way or have achieved a certain thing. You are worth so much because God loves you. Even if you struggle with something as overwhelming as self-harm, depression, and suicide, prayer and leaning toward God can change your life. If you want to learn more, here are some more resources for finding self-worth and some additional verses of hope.
I feel worthless because of God. If there's a God who can do anything and everything l can do but a lot better. Why do anything? Why live if nobody needs me. God doesn't because he doesn't need anything and nobody else does because they have God. So why live through the pain l live through when nobody gets anything from it?
I feel like we're just all one science experiment God made. And he wants to be showered in glory and if someone doesn't give him glory, they go to hell for an eternity. I feel even more worthless now..
What do you do if you know all these things about God-- how amazing He is, he's the Alpha & Omega, etc. You see his love for others & wish He loved you like that, but you're worth nothing. What if you KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that you're a failure, that you're not worth God helping? What if you can't get anything right but continue to try n give all you can for others because you don't want ANYONE to be as worthless as me?!? Sometimes I have thought that maybe I am worth something but God reminds me that I am not loveable and my life is a failure. I'm so embarrassed that I'm an embarrassment to our heavenly father. I wish I was dead everyday but try to hide it so I can help others because other people are worth it. People have sabotaged me in church, in relationships and my own mother doesn't love me. I just want to disappear...
Some of the best diciples of the Bible were a total mess. Paul used to kill Christians. And David killed someone's husband just so he could be with her. And yet God forgave them and they became some of the most famous people of the Bible.
Jesus wouldn't have died for us if he knew we were perfect. We all make mistakes, but that's just how amazing God's grace is. He forgives. It doesn't matter what you do or how many times you do it. He forgives you if you ask. And then guess what. He forgets about it. If you're thinking God is telling you you're not worth his love, that couldn't be further from the truth. That is Satan trying to drown out the voice of truth. God wants you. God loves you. Yes. He loves YOU Chan. And that will never change. I know this verse is used a lot. But don't just hear the words. Let them speak to your heart.
God says "I will NEVER leave you. NOR will I forsake you."
"NEVER" is pretty clear. He loves you. And he wants you to come to him. There is no need to be ashamed, because he wants you to come as you are. Not as how you think you're supposed to be. 😉
A few years ago I struggled with the same question. I felt guilty and ashamed and I thought God didn't love me anymore. But he put someone in my life that showed me the truth. She showed me that God did love me no matter how I was feeling. So trust me when I tell you. He REALLY DOES love you. And even though you fail sometimes, that doesn't make you a failure. That makes you human and God is there for you to help you get through the tough struggles we face every day.
🙂 I really hope this helps.
God is "there" for you. What is that even supposed to mean? God is nowhere.
Why and how does God have any bearing on how I view myself? He is not there to tell me the good about me. He is not there to tell me how to be better. He is not there to tell me the positive thoughts to replace the negative thoughts. He does not share these things. He might know me and love me from a distance, but it doesn't matter at all. It's like having a friend to tlk to but all they say is "Oh, that must suck." God has nothing to do with self worth. If I have nothing to offer or show for myself, that's what determines my self worth.
Because God created you, he is always there you just have to listen. God knows everything you are going through and he puts you through it because he knows you will become stronger from it even if it feels like you will never make it. You just have to take one day at a time and make the best from it. You are the one who has to get rid of the negative thoughts, not anyone but you, maybe try doing something that makes you feel good, happy, splendid. People may fall in life sometimes but only for the outcome to be good. His love for you does matter, don't doubt that. You have plenty to offer and so does everybody else, your self worth is not just about what you have to offer.
I am so bittered, when I was a child,my dad sees me as a worthless child,my cousins and their wives,with Uncles and Aunts said the same to me that I am a worthless being.I grew up with the idea that I am worthless.I always tried to develop self esteem and self worth,the more I tried,the more I am getting bitter,angry at my self.once I have become so depressed that I almost took my life.most times I feel like running away to any country where no one knows who I am just to hide away from my mockers.I always pray to be loved,happy like other kids and adults but everything is down the drain. I often question God,asking him why he created a useless and worthless child like me.I am living in isolation due to the fear that people will see me as others saw me a worthless being. I wish I will oneday find a friend that will tell me how good and beautiful that I am. wish I can go to another country where I can start my life anew,work hard,rewrite my destiny and proof them wrong.I wish my wishes comes to pass,that's WHEN I will find whom I am and be happy.
I feel the same as you. My family says I am nothing but a mistake. They have physically and emotionally abused me all my life. I am alone and it hurts more than I could ever explain. I too dream for that one friend.
Then they’re not family. Family raise you up when you’re down. From what you are saying they don’t deserve you. I know you will find someone who respects you and brings you up. God bless you
And no you you’re not a mistake, but rather a masterpiece of God
And remember God loves you unconditionally. I know you might have flaws but there are so many great things about you that God shared YOU with the world and you’re a gift to all of humanity. God bless
But, why? Why does God love me? What am I that he gives me such love?
Hi Mike, It's hard to fathom why God loves us, especially when we feel unlovable. God does LOVES US even if we don't feel like he does. It's God's nature to love on us. Here is a great video that may help you to understand God's love from Jeff Bethke https://youtu.be/4Kj7dX21Ukc. If you want to explore this more, please chat with one of out HopeCoaches at https://www.thehopeline.com/gethelp/. They will help you with the feelings you are having about feeling worthless.
So, we shouldn't feel worthless because God loves us, and he's, like, *God*, so we must be pretty great!
And why does he love us? Eh, he loves everyone - even the worst of the worst - it's just in his nature. So it doesn't mean anything or tell us anything about our actual relative worth. It means no more than we're probably not worse in his estimation
than the most evil criminal. Gotcha.