Spirituality and Self-Esteem

What is spirituality? What is self-esteem? We hear both terms frequently, but do we know what they really mean? In a world that encourages false appearance, telling the difference between genuine spirituality and self-esteem and their imitations may be difficult. So how can we know what true spirituality and self-esteem are, and then, how can we develop them? The answers to those questions, according to Richard L. Bednar and Scott L. Peterson, go to the heart of what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know about our eternal nature as children of God. Each of us has an eternal identity that is unique. That identity is spiritual. It existed before we were born, and it accompanied us into mortality. The authors suggest that true spirituality and self-esteem come from looking inward to our eternal identity, the part of us that is in tune with the Light of Christ. When we follow the inklings of our inner, eternal self and the promptings of the Spirit, we experience greater self-approval, which is confirmed by approval from the Lord. That approval is essential to the process of developing both spirituality and self-esteem. Richard Bednar and Scott Peterson focus on the realities and difficulties of everyday life in cultivating spirituality and self-esteem. Those realities and difficulties include: Covering up personal and marital problems, only to make them worse. Pleasing others while displeasing ourselves. Being content to go through the motions of praying and of reading the scriptures. Using position, power, and prestige to impress others. Avoiding people or places out of fear. Being self-centered and prideful. The authors offer solutions that will help us cope successfully with the day-to-day realities of our lives as we cultivate true spirituality and self-esteem.