Overcoming Self-Hate, Depression, and Building Self-Esteem through Faith

Welcome to Living Word Cast!

I’m Pastor Michael Chilcott, coming to you from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This podcast exists to proclaim, teach, and explore the Word of God together. Our goal is to provide sound theological and biblical guidance on all things Scripture, helping you grow deeper in your understanding of the Bible and your relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whether you’re seeking answers, encouragement, or a closer walk with God, this podcast is here to help you stay firmly rooted in the truth of God’s Word.

Today, we’re going to tackle a topic that many of us have struggled with, but perhaps have not fully understood: Self-Hate, Depression, and Self-Esteem. These are deeply connected issues that affect our emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. We’ll break them down, looking at what God says about how we should view ourselves, and how we can be healed and transformed in His love.

Part 1: What is Self-Hate?

Let’s begin by defining self-hate. Self-hate is when we harbor negative feelings about ourselves, when we believe that we are worthless, incapable, or undeserving of love and respect. We might think things like, "I'm not good enough," "I’ll never be accepted," or "I’m a failure." These thoughts, though common, do not come from God.

In fact, self-hate is in direct opposition to God's truth about us. The Bible teaches us that we are wonderfully made by God, and He does not create anything without purpose. Let’s turn to Psalm 139:14:

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

This verse shows us that self-hate is not rooted in truth. God created us with care, intention, and love. When we start to hate ourselves, we are rejecting God's design for us.

But why do we fall into this trap? The world often conditions us to value ourselves based on achievements, appearance, or others’ opinions. We may feel inferior or inadequate when we don’t measure up to these worldly standards. But2 Corinthians 10:12 warns us:

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

We are not to compare ourselves to the world or others. Our worth is found solely in Christ.