Bible Verses on Self-Worth From the Grit and Grace Team

From where do you derive your self-worth? Is it in the busyness of your job, where you clock up to 60 hours a week? Maybe it’s in your doting husband and your three smart, well-mannered children. Or, on the other side of the spectrum, maybe your self-worth is at rock bottom and you feel useless, as though your life holds no value. We’ll stop you right there to say that’s not true, friend.

Here are some Bible Verses on Self-Worth that will help you:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

Regardless of what we do or what we have, our self-worth lies in how we value ourselves and the qualities that make us who we are. If you’re struggling today to pinpoint your value and purpose, know that God took great care into making you exactly who you are. The ladies at The Grit and Grace Project share their own thoughts on self-worth and the Bible verses that remind them of God’s unending love.

Self-Worth in His Love

Very few get through life without a challenge to their self-worth. Sometimes it begins at a young age, triggered by peer ridicule or feelings of failure; for others, insecurity finds its way into your heart when you enter grownup life. It’s easy to believe the lies—that you are insignificant, incapable, or there is someone better than you. But it is what God thinks that counts. Even when living a life without him outside of his righteousness, he loves us this much: “…while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That love never fails no matter what we do.

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love, I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3, NLT). “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5). We are not just his children; he has chosen to call us “friend.” “We are not just followers of Jesus; we are his friend. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:10-11). The God who fully knows us and everything we are, loves us this completely. He desires a relationship with you, even if it requires the death of his Son. The next time you doubt your worth remember this: He doesn’t, so neither should you.

Darlene Brock–Co-founder and President 

Read more from Darlene here.

“It’s easy to believe the lies—that you are insignificant, incapable, or there is someone better than you. But it is what God thinks that counts.” Darlene Brock

Doubting Self-Worth

John 1:12, “Yet to those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Children of God. Let that sink in. You are a child of God. The same God who formed mountains, oceans, and the sky, formed you. You are his child.

This can be so hard to remember. There are so many ways to doubt ourselves. We aren’t enough; we don’t feel worthy or valuable. We question why we were made the way we are made and feel less than some mythical ideal. Self-worth is hard.

But our identity doesn’t rely on any ideal. It doesn’t rely on what we think we are or what we think we’re not. Even if it’s true. Our self-worth can rest in the fact that the Creator of this entire universe, the One whose work is always good and perfect (Psalm 18:30), calls us his child.

Dear one, don’t doubt. Rest in this truth above all truths. And know just how very much you are loved.

Meaghan Dawson

Read more from Meaghan here.

Finding Self-Worth in Him

My husband jokes that Isaiah is the only book in the Bible I read. Although his statement isn’t completely accurate, I do seem to find myself there often. And while I can’t pinpoint exactly why Isaiah just might be my favorite book in the Bible, I do know that it seems to be full of hopeful promises and beautiful words… and I’m a sucker for both. Isaiah 54 is especially dear to me. The first time I read it was when I was 21 years old and practically bald due to my autoimmune disease. This whole chapter speaks about God’s love and compassion… the truest, ultimate sources of healing. But, what jumped out to me and has made an indelible mark on the way I view myself is this simple line:

“For your Maker is your husband…” (v. 5a).

I was single at the time, and I had quite the list of qualities I was hoping and praying for in a husband. A dream man I had made up in my mind, so to speak. And it dawned on me that God, who is all things to us, including husband, is the One who dreamed me up and made me exactly the way he wanted me to be. He wouldn’t change a single thing about me—my personality, my gifts, my appearance. If he wanted any of those things to be different, he would have simply made me that way. He fashioned me, his bride, into the very woman I am, and he says I am altogether lovely and that there is no flaw in me (Song of Solomon 4:7). The same is true for you, dear friend. You are perfectly and wonderfully made by your Maker and your Husband, the God of all creation, and you are precious in his sight. God made you and he loves you, and that is what makes you so valuable.

Ashley Johnson–Managing Editor 

Read more from Ashley here.

“Dear one, don’t doubt. Rest in this truth above all truths. The same God who formed mountains, oceans, and the sky, formed you. You are his child. And know just how very much you are loved.” Meaghan Dawson

Understanding True Self-Worth

No matter how many times I’ve heard “it’s what God thinks of me that really matters,” I still struggle to get that truth through my hard head and into my heart. Maybe because it’s such a simple truth (we females do tend to complicate things). Maybe because it’s against my human nature to feel this way. Maybe it’s part of the vastness of God’s love that’s too big for me to comprehend. But despite all of these things, this truth remains.

I tend to be harder on myself when it comes to what I’m doing and how I’m doing it than the way I look or traditional self-worth standards. I’m not a “yes girl,” but when I do give a “yes” I expect so much out of myself. I always have. Study more. Do more. Be more. Work harder. Sometimes this works, but sometimes this means I set myself up for failure. When I don’t meet my own (usually unreasonable) standards, I start questioning and doubting myself. Quickly the self-worth I thought I carried turns to questioning my worth and value.

Turn to Psalm 46:5… “God is within her, she will not fall…”

You know what this means? It isn’t in my power, doing, or striving that I will feel “good enough,” feel like I’m “doing enough,” or feel adequate. It’s God’s. With him in me, and through his power, I can be confident. I am enough. It is he who fills me with purpose and covers me with grace. And it really is what he thinks of me that matters. It’s good to be a friend of God.

Bethany Gilliland

Read more from Bethany here.

Self-Worth Through His Glorification

“Be bold and just be you.” It’s a phrase I say often, to myself and anyone who will listen. And it’s because I believe God made each of us so incredibly unique that we must represent him in the way only we can, or he doesn’t get the glory he is due in our lives. What a shame that would be, if we chose to not showcase the talents, personality, strengths, and weakness he bestowed on us that each point back to him and his power, perfection, and precision.

Self-Worth Through Self-Respect

It’s hard for me to admit that my sense of self-worth didn’t kick into gear until my early 20s. I spent most of my life suppressing my personality—I was bubbly but socially timid. I just wanted peace with everyone and I wanted them to like me more than anything—even if it meant compromising who I am. In high school, I found myself laughing at their not-so-clean jokes, just so they wouldn’t label me a prude. I agreed with their opinions on everything, nodding along so they would think I was interesting. But college tends to help people discover what they like and pursue their own interests, so the chains that bound me to desiring social acceptance were severed, and I began to appreciate the parts of myself that I tried to sweep under the rug.

Looking back, my self-worth was pretty low because I didn’t respect myself enough to stay true to the things that made me, me! I sought acceptance more than self-respect and self-worth.

I always had a relationship with God, but I began to really focus on my walk with him in college. I realized more than ever that if I was to do this “life” thing, I needed him every step of the way. I needed his guidance and his love. And as God began to endlessly shower my life with blessings and pour into my heart just how special I was to him—after all, Psalm 139:16-17 says that God “saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in His book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, God. They cannot be numbered!”—I began to love that I was so uniquely made. God cared about every part of my heart, mind, and soul. My personality, my skills, my likes, and dislikes were all exactly how he made them. Why wouldn’t I wear it like a badge of honor?

So now, I don’t nod along and agree with everything. I politely share my own opinions while still valuing the ones that are unique to others. I don’t mind the things I’m not good at; I celebrate the gifts and skills that God specially crafted for me. Self-worth is found in all the things that make you who you are. You are not like everyone else, but you are a custom-order—one that God called in for a specific purpose!

Tess Raines–Editorial Assistant

Read more from Tess here.

“Friends, when we discount our value we tell a lie—that God isn’t perfect and that He did something wrong when He fashioned us. That’s simply not true, so with everything I have, I dare you to be bold and just be you!” Julie Graham

Boost your confidence, watch this!

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For more articles on women of faith and self-worth, check out:

Have You Ever Said It? “I’m Not Good Enough.”
Can You Be Confident God Knows What You Need?
To the Mom Who’s Lacking Self-Confidence: Do This
Leaning into Worship Even When You Have a Hurting Heart
Bible Verses From the Grit and Grace Team on Peace

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