Visual Journal Prompt: Self-Worth
Shadow Vs. Object of Light
Enjoy the inspirational Bible Verses Below
When life disappoints you, whether it’s a job loss, a failed project, or a strained relationship. If your peace rises and falls with your performance, approval, or success, it’s a sign that something other than Jesus is shaping your identity.
Even good things can quietly become idols if you rely on them to define your value. Often, we end up chasing the shadow of worth: success, praise, achievement, rather than turning to the source of the light itself.
Jesus doesn’t just invite us into his light; He stood in our place in the darkness so we could live in the freedom of His unshakable worth.
Chasing Shadows
Under the surface, things can subtly shape how you see yourself. When you’re thriving, you feel good. When you aren’t, you felt less than. That’s when you can realize: you haven’t just been disappointed, you’ve been disoriented. Running in circles chasing shadows, instead of resting in God’s light.
A healthy relationship with earthly things allows us to appreciate them without assigning them ultimate value. When things go well, I can praise God for His kindness. When things fall apart, I can still trust Him, knowing your identity wasn’t in those things anyway.
That’s freedom. But let me be honest: this is not a one-time realization. It’s not a spiritual milestone you check off. It’s a daily returning. Daily surrender. True freedom comes when your worth is anchored in Christ, unchanging, secure, and not dependent on how life plays out.
Scripture
Psalm 139:13–14
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Jeremiah 17:5–8
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man… But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Quote
“You have value not because of what you do or what you have done, but because of what Christ has done for you.”
Tim Keller
Stories
Luke 10: 38-42 (Martha overwhelmed by her productivity)
Jesus gently reminds her that being present with Him and resting in His love is what truly matters, not the tasks or achievements
Philipians 3: 4-8 (Paul once proud of his status)
Once proud of his status and accomplishments, came to see them as worthless compared to knowing Christ
Humanity
Research shows that when people base their self-worth on external things like achievements, appearance, or others’ approval, what’s known as contingent self-esteem, it leads to emotional highs and lows, anxiety, and even depression.
Enjoy the Inspirational Bible Verses
Journal Prompts
What has the world told you makes you valuable and what has God said instead? List the messages the world gives that makes them enough. Now, write out what God says.
Who are you performing for? Do you ever feel like you have to act or pretend to be liked, accepted, or seen? What would it feel like to rest in the truth that you are already loved by God without having to earn it?
Are you building your identity on sand or on stone?” Think about where you’ve been placing your foundation, is it on success, people’s opinions, or what God says about you? What would it look like to move your worth onto something that doesn’t shift or fail?
How can I practically shift my daily thoughts and actions to anchor my identity in God’s unchanging love and truth?” What’s one way you can do it daily?