While summer brings warm air, tan skin, and typically fun memories, it also brings along with it countless self esteem issues for girls. Due to the heat and outdoor activities, we are subject to wearing shorter shorts, tighter clothes and the dreaded swimsuit. If you’ve ever sat around a bunch of girls at the beach or the pool you’ll know the conversation I’m about to talk about. The one where they all take turns jiggling their “fat rolls,” complaining about their imperfect stomach and voicing all the other insecurities they have about their body that seem to be brought out just by simply wearing a bathing suit.
It’s a stressful time for us girls and we seem to all fall victim to the spotlight effect. You know, the one where we think people notice more about us than they actually can or do. Regardless of what the mirror tells you, or what your friends say about themselves that makes you even more concerned with your image, here is what God says about us, swimsuit and all.
1. "It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. No, your beauty should come from inside you- the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That beauty will never disappear, and it is worth very much to God." -1 Peter 3:3-4
2. "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." -Proverbs 31:30.
3. "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." -1 Samuel 16:74.
4. "For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of which is to come." -1 Timothy 4:8 5.
5. "She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." -Proverbs 31:25
6. "Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life." -Isaiah 43:4-77
7. "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight."- Luke 16:15 8.
8. "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." -2 Corinthians 4:16 9.
9. "You judge by human standards; I pass judgement on no one" -John 8:15 10.
10. "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. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." -Psalm 139:13-1411.
11. "You are altogether beautiful my love, there is no flaw in you" -Song of Solomon 4:7
I hope whatever body image issues you struggled with today, I hope the word of our loving Lord who thinks you’re absolutely beautiful finds you. He who created some of the most gorgeous things in the universe thought that same universe could use one of you, too.
