Worthy. This word carries a whole lot of weight, doesn't it? When you hear it you might think of your confidence, self-esteem, or lack thereof. Maybe you think of those around you and how much you think they are worth. When was the last time someone let you know that you are worthy of being loved? Worthy of being heard?

When was the last time someone sat next to you and got to know your story and told you that your worth was so much greater than you realize?

Recognizing our own worth is something we should be doing a whole lot more often. This is not because we need to tell others how great and loved they are, but because all of us, need to believe it. Your self-confidence is not dependent on your past. It is not dependent on your amount of social media followers, and it is not dependent on your plans for the future.

As a girl in college, my "worth-meter" is more like a "worth-roller coaster."

Perhaps, you could relate? It is like one week, you are feeling confident, strong, and independent. Then the next week rolls around and you need a whole lot of encouragement (and caffeine) to survive.

In this day and age, society teaches us to place our worth in so many different things.

We are told through media that once we have a spouse, or once we have money, or once we have a family, or once we travel the world, THEN we have worth. So here we all go on this journey to discover who we are, but does all of this fulfill that need and desire to feel wanted, loved, and worth something?

Odds are, it does not. All of these things may make you temporarily pleased, but they will not permanently fill up that empty "worth-meter."

What will fill up that "worth-meter" is a whole lot of grace?

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that we are wanted and valued. Your past does not need to hold you down, tie you up, and throw lies in your head that you are too far gone. You really are not. Even when you think your "worth-meter" is a roller coaster, it is still full. Our minds tend to give us this illusion that our worth is dependent on our own thoughts of ourselves, but this is false. Whether you are feeling lonely, depressed, angry, joyful, anxious, or excited, you are still worth a whole lot.

It turns out that this grace teaches us that we are in fact worthy. You are worth being loved. You are worth being heard. You are valuable and here for a reason. (Matthew 6:26-27)

Now friend, regardless of the number of likes your most recent Instagram picture got, regardless of the number of people that have swiped right on your Tinder profile, regardless of the amount of money you make, or how many aesthetically pleasing photos fill your feed, you are cherished beyond measure. The one who created you loves you and sent His Son to die for you to remind you of your worth.