What thoughts come to you when looking into a mirror? "I need a haircut." "Where did that come from?" or, "I need to loose some weight."

Thoughts that are even more personal can come to you when looking into a mirror. After all, you are looking at you! So, who do you see on a deeper level?

Let's move away from the mirror and come back in a moment or two. I want to ask you a question. Think of someone that you really admire. If you were looking in a magazine and saw their picture what would your reaction be? You would most likely stop and look at them with admiration.

You might even check and see if there were any other pictures of them so that you could look at those as well. In other words, you enjoy looking at someone that you admire.

So why then is it difficult for most people to look right into their own eyes in a mirror? Where's the admiration? Where's the enjoyment? That's my point.

There was a time in my life years ago that I didn't like what I saw in the mirror. I'm not talking about a bad hair day. I had no problem using the mirror for grooming. But, to look into my own eyes was very uncomfortable.

I had a low self-image. I felt I didn't measure up. I felt I had let God down. I knew I was not living up to my full potential. Basically, I was disappointed in myself, so I wasn't too thrilled to look at me!

I was sitting in a lecture one day and the teacher said, "The reason most people are so miserable is that they can't stand themselves." It is sad but so true! Many people just cannot stand themselves. I couldn't. I needed to change my perspective first.

When you think about it, there are really only two reasons why people are disappointed in themselves. They either regret the bad things that they have done in the past, or, they are not happy with the current state of their life today. In other words, they are disappointed with themselves.

First, if we are being honest, good or bad, the past is over with. We can't go back and change anything. Nothing that we have done in the past can be undone. And the Bible is pretty clear about forgetting those things which are behind, and moving forward.

There is no need to beat yourself up for the past. The Bible says that God has cast your sins as far as the East is from the West. Guess what? The East and West never meet! God has forgiven you. You need to forgive yourself and let the past go.

So, why are you not happy with yourself? Why can't you accept yourself today?

Has someone ever talked favorably to you about another person? Perhaps prior to their information, you had a lousy opinion of this other person. But, after hearing from someone you trusted, you changed your opinion of the person.

Maybe those who have had a hard time looking into their own eyes in a mirror should ask themselves what God's opinion of them is. I'm not talking about the philosophy that the more good deeds you do the more that God likes you. That philosophy is not biblical and it is a sure recipe for living a life of unworthiness. I've been there and done that. No thanks!

I'm talking about opening up the Good Book for yourself. In doing so, you will find out that His love for you never changes. In His eyes, you are lovely and acceptable! That's His opinion! You are acceptable!

So, if you'd like to take a look at someone whom the Creator of the heavens and earth absolutely loves unconditionally, and, finds lovely and acceptable, go take a good look into a mirror! Smile, and change your opinion. It will change your life!