Does the Bible talk about low self esteem? You might be wondering if you and your life really matter. All of us question our identity and worth at some point, especially those who are dealing with addiction. Here, we’ll offer comfort and truth by pointing you toward what God’s Word has to say about His love and your true value.
Get Help Today
Help and healing are possible through our Christian rehab programs.
If you are ready to take the next step and learn more about how a Christian rehab center can aid in your recovery, feel free to reach out to us at any time.
Bible Verses for Low Self Esteem: The Amazing Benefits of Believing in Jesus Christ
If you’re a believer and you find yourself struggling with low self esteem, read these verses to remind yourself that you actually have quite a lot to be excited about!
“But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” – John 14:3
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:6-7
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My father and before His angels.” – Revelation 3:5
“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” – Revelation 5:21
Sometimes, it helps to sit down and make a list of everything God has done for you in your life, beginning with your salvation. And break that down: What does it mean that you’re saved? It means that you get to spend eternity in the presence of Jesus. When you make this list, you can also include the bad things from your life before your salvation, and reflect on how God has turned them into good things. You probably will never even know this side of glory, for example, how many times God intervened to save your life when you didn’t even know that your life was threatened.
Bible Verses for Low Self Esteem: Where Our Focus Should Be
Rather than focusing inwardly on ourselves, these Bible verses for low self esteem direct us toward where our perspective should truly focus:
“… each one among you ought not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound thinking, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:3
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” – 1 Corinthians 15:10
The Bible also cautions us against too much inward focus:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
“For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances.” – 2 Corinthians 12:20
These Bible verses about low self-esteem show that excessive self-focus often leads to spiritual problems rather than solutions.
Fighting the Temptation of Self-Focused Thinking
When you’re tempted to dwell on what the world calls “low self esteem,” turn to these Bible verses for someone with low self esteem:
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” – Romans 12:4-5
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” – Hebrews 13:5
“John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.’” – John 3:27
“And there arose also a dispute among [the disciples] as to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest. And He said to them, “‘.. the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as the one who serves.’” – Luke 22:24, 26,27
These verses remind us that struggles with self-perception are common temptations, that we have our place in the body of Christ, and that contentment comes from God’s presence rather than self-evaluation.
Hope for Those Who Don't Yet Know Christ
For those suffering from negative self-perception who do not yet know Christ, these Bible verses for low self esteem offer hope. First, we must understand that we cannot work our way into heaven. No one on earth can be “good enough” to get into heaven, no matter how many good things they try to do.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23
“There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.” – Romans 3:10-11
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
As we start to see in that last verse, God has provided a way for us not to have to bear the punishment for our sins.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
What must you do to be saved? You must put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation.
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live even if he dies…’” – John 11:25
Near the end of the Gospel of John, he explains that he wrote the book “so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). If you’re looking for Bible verses for low self esteem, you can’t go wrong by reading the Gospel of John.
How LINKS Addresses Self Esteem and Addiction Together
Christian treatment centers for depression, like LINKS Christian drug rehab programs, can address self esteem and addiction simultaneously. One of the advantages of Chrsitian rehab is combining the truth and comfort found in God’s Word with evidence-based therapeutic practices.
If you’re struggling with addiction and self esteem issues, there is hope. Take the first step and call Christians Drug Rehab’s LINKS program at (866) 434-1330.
Get Help Today
Help and healing are possible through our Christian rehab programs.
If you are ready to take the next step and learn more about how a Christian rehab center can aid in your recovery, feel free to reach out to us at any time.
FAQs About Bible Verses and Self Esteem
What if Bible verses for low self-esteem don't change my feelings?
Focus on believing God’s truth regardless of feelings. Meditate on some of the verses we have included in this article by repeating them softly to yourself. Ask God to help your emotions align with His word. Seek godly counsel from your pastor, an elder in your church, a trusted Christian friend, or a Christian counselor.
How do Bible verses differ from self-help?
While self-help can be beneficial, it typically focuses on what you can do for yourself. Of course, your resources and abilities are limited. Pop culture might lead us to trust ourselves or follow our hearts, but ultimately, the best help comes from outside of ourselves. As Christians, we can call out to our Father, whose resources and abilities are unlimited. We can meditate on Bible verses, rely on the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and reach out for help from the community God has placed us in.
Can Bible verses for someone with low self esteem help with depression?
We’ve actually written a blog post about what the Bible says about depression, and we recommend this article about one of the most favorite Christian pastors of all time and his battle with depression.
What if my past makes Bible verses about low self-esteem feel untrue?
Some verses that may help you here include 1 John 1:9, Galatians 2:20, and 2 Corinthians 5:7. If you’re still struggling after reading these verses, please talk to your pastor, a trusted Christian friend, or a Christian counselor right away.